An inventor named ANTONIO MEUCCI had made and patented a device much like the telephone which he called the 'teletrofono' in 1860,but he was so poor that he could not pay the $10 fee to renew his patent,so he lost it.5 years later ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL who had seen the 'teletrofono' made his own 'teletrofono' which he called as 'telephone'.