who made the telephone

The telephone is credited to Alexander Graham Bell, who patented the first practical telephone in 1876 and successfully demonstrated it. He was granted the US Patent Number 174,465 for an "Improvement in Telegraphy" on March 7, 1876, and made the first known telephone call shortly thereafter. However, the invention was not without controversy, as several others such as Antonio Meucci, Philipp Reis, and Elisha Gray also contributed to early telephone designs. Antonio Meucci, in particular, was recognized by the US House of Representatives in 2002 for his work on a talking telegraph preceding Bell's patent. Despite these disputes, Bell is most often credited as the inventor due to his patent and his role in developing a commercially viable telephone system.