There are various synonyms for the term 'telephone company'. One commonly used term is 'telecom provider', which refers to companies that provide telecommunication services to their customers. Another synonym for 'telephone company' is 'telecom operator', which is often used to describe companies that operate an entire telecommunications network such as wireless and landline services. Some notable examples of telecom operators include AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. The term 'telephony company' is also used to refer to firms that specialize in providing telephone services, while 'phone company' is a more informal synonym used to describe any company that provides phone-related services.