"The origination of the Internet itself, the book explains, is a direct result of the splitting of AT&T in 1984, which allowed, for example the standard modem j

"The origination of the Internet itself, the book explains, is a direct result of the splitting of AT&T in 1984, which allowed, for example the standard modem jack to exist (jacks and equipment were proprietary before that)" The earliest modems didn't use phone jacks at all: https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Acoustic_coupler https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Acoustic_coup...