Why wasn't the telephone ever patented?

Question

Law in IT

Why was the telephone never patented, or was it? Then why can any company create a mobile phone?
I'm asking out of curiosity.

Answer 1

yup, "wasn't patented"
tell that to that dude who was a few hours late

Alexander Bell filed an application with the Washington Patent Office for his invention on February 14, 1876. On the same day, inventor Elisha Gray of Chicago filed a provisional application for a "Device for transmitting and receiving vocal sounds by telegraphic means." Gray soon withdrew his preliminary application. On this occasion, there were numerous disputes[6] about who first invented the telephone.