Alexander Graham Bell is credited with inventing the first practical telephone. He was awarded the first U.S. patent for the telephone on March 7, 1876, and on March 10, 1876, he successfully transmitted the first clear speech over his device, famously saying to his assistant Thomas Watson, "Mr. Watson, come here, I want to see you"
. While Bell is recognized as the primary inventor due to his patent and development of a working telephone, the invention was not without controversy. Other inventors such as Antonio Meucci, Johann Philipp Reis, and Elisha Gray also contributed to early telephone technology, and there were many disputes and lawsuits over patent claims. Nonetheless, Bell's patent and subsequent commercial success established him as the father of the telephone
. In summary, Alexander Graham Bell is credited with inventing the telephone, particularly for securing the first patent and creating the first practical working model in 1876.
