Sadly, Bell Labs really hasn't been the amazing R&D "idea factory" it was known as throughout the 20th century for at least 30 years or more. Alcatel-Lucent is

Sadly, Bell Labs really hasn't been the amazing R&D "idea factory" it was known as throughout the 20th century for at least 30 years or more. Alcatel-Lucent is many, many, many generations (and iterations) removed from the same R&D entity that developed the transistor, radar, lasers, communications satellites, wireless telephony, transatlantic cables, etc., etc.