Too many journalists writing about AT&T these days still use the term "Ma Bell". That's inaccurate. Ma Bell isn't going away, it's been long gone.
"Ma Bell" referred to the old AT&T Bell System pre-divesture. It referred to the old system, somewhat negatively, of when Bell owned all equipment and long distance, and supplied 100% of customers needs. Once AT&T divested the local companies, it ceased being the old Ma Bell. It quickly evolved into other types of business. It even lost the "Bell" name. The old AT&T died at divesture.
If anything, the term "Ma Bell" is more accurately applied to the divested companies since they still have monopoly control in some areas and operate more of the traditional services. They use the Bell name and logo. (Verizon still prints the "Bell Telephone Company of Pennsylvania" on its literature and puts the Bell logo on its payphones.)
People, knowing my interest in telephones, ask me how I feel about "AT&T going away". I answer it went away long ago at divesture.