Why are Internet and phone companies so closely related? How has their relationship changed over the decades?

Question

Why are Internet and phone companies so closely related? How has their relationship changed over the decades?

In: Technology

Answer 1

Back in the days of Dial-Up internet the phone lines were the internet lines. The signals went over the same wires.

With Broadband they are now different wires, however the phone companies are good at connecting houses with wires and own the infrastructure to do it so they are still the internet providers.