GTE Southwest Incorporated is a Verizon operating company serving a former GTE region. GTE Southwest, at its peak, originally served Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico. Its original name upon founding was State Telephone Company of Texas. It later changed its name to Southwestern Associated Telephone Company, and General Telephone Company of the Southwest. In 1996, Contel of New Mexico and Contel of Texas were merged into GTE Southwest. In 2000, Bell Atlantic purchased GTE and renamed itself Verizon. Shortly thereafter, GTE Southwest's operations in several states were sold off. GTE's... Arkansas operations were sold to CenturyTel, becoming CenturyTel of Northwest Arkansas. GTE's operations in Oklahoma and New Mexico were sold to Valor Telecom. GTE Southwest retained its legal name but began doing business as Verizon Southwest. GTE Southwest continues to serve former GTE and Contel regions in Texas. It is the only former GTE operating company that has not changed its official legal name under Verizon ownership.
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