GleanMark is free for all of AprilGet free access
Services

Trademark Class 38: Telecommunications

Telecommunications.

50,608live trademarks

Filing Activity

Trademark applications and registrations in Class 38 over the past 15 years.

  • Applications
  • Registrations
201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025202602k3k5k6k

Class 38 covers telecommunications services. With approximately 50,000 live marks, it is one of the smaller service classes by filing volume, but it underpins some of the most commercially significant brands in the modern economy. The class encompasses all forms of electronic communication services, including broadcasting, internet service provision, streaming transmission, messaging platforms, and video conferencing.

Leading filing firms in Class 38 include ArentFox Schiff, Fross Zelnick, and Greenberg Traurig — a roster that skews toward firms with major media, technology, and telecommunications clients rather than volume-based online filing platforms. This reflects the class's concentration among established telecom carriers, media conglomerates, and well-funded technology companies rather than the broad small-business filer base seen in classes like 35 or 41.

The most significant classification challenge in Class 38 is distinguishing between the transmission of content (Class 38) and the content itself or the platform providing it. Streaming video transmission is a Class 38 service, but entertainment services in the form of streaming video content belong in Class 41. Providing internet access is Class 38, but providing an online marketplace is Class 35, and providing a software platform is Class 42. Chat room services for social networking are in Class 38 when the emphasis is on the communication channel, but the social networking service itself may warrant Class 45. Podcasting presents a particularly common trap: the transmission of podcast audio is Class 38, but the production and entertainment aspects fall under Class 41.

Multi-class strategies in this space are essential. Nearly every telecommunications brand requires concurrent filings in Class 9 for devices and downloadable software, Class 42 for cloud computing and platform infrastructure, and Class 41 for any entertainment or educational content delivered through the communication service. Media companies routinely file across Classes 38, 41, and 9 as a baseline trio to protect their full service offering from transmission through content delivery to associated applications.

What's Included in Class 38

Class 38 includes mainly services allowing at least one person to communicate with another by a sensory means. Such services include those which: 1. allow one person to talk to another, 2. transmit messages from one person to another, and 3. place a person in oral or visual communication with another (radio and television).

  • services which consist essentially of the diffusion of radio or television programmes.
  • radio advertising services (Cl. 35);
  • telephone marketing (telemarketing) services (Cl. 35).
🌐 Internet service providers
📶 Mobile phone networks and carriers
📡 Streaming and broadcasting services
🎥 Video conferencing platforms
📧 Email and messaging services
📻 Radio and television broadcasting
🛰️ Satellite communication services
🎙️ Podcast hosting and distribution

Top Filers in Class 38

#OwnerFilings
1AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.219
2AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY II, L.P. (A LIMITED PARTNERSHIP COMPOSED OF AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, LLC, A DELAWARE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY)179
3SWITCH, LTD.123
4IHEARTMEDIA + ENTERTAINMENT, INC.110
5CENTURYLINK COMMUNICATIONS, LLC,110
6AUDACY OPERATIONS, LLC105
7VERIZON TRADEMARK SERVICES, LLC105
8T-MOBILE USA, INC.97
9GOOGLE LLC93
10FOX MEDIA LLC92

Top Law Firms in Class 38

#FirmTotal
1Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP1,169
2ArentFox Schiff LLP1,032
3Fross Zelnick Lehrman & Zissu, P.C.1,027
4Greenberg Traurig, LLP1,003
5PERKINS COIE LLP899
6DLA Piper LLP (US)752
7AT&T Services, Inc.743
8Dentons US LLP733
9Knobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear, LLP674
10AT&T CORP642

Recent Registrations

Mark

Search Telecommunications Trademarks

Explore 50,608 live trademarks in Telecommunications. Search by name, owner, or serial number — then filter by Class 38.

Search Trademarks

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Class 38 and Class 41?

Class 38 covers the transmission and delivery of content (broadcasting, streaming infrastructure, telecommunications). Class 41 covers the creation and production of content (entertainment, education, publishing). Netflix files in Class 38 for streaming delivery and Class 41 for entertainment production.

Are social media platforms in Class 38?

The communication and messaging features of social media (sending messages, sharing posts) fall under Class 38. The content and entertainment aspects fall under Class 41. The software platform itself may also be filed in Class 42.

Does Class 38 cover email services?

Yes. Electronic mail services, instant messaging, and other digital communication services are classified in Class 38.

Is podcast hosting in Class 38 or Class 41?

The transmission and distribution of podcast audio is a Class 38 telecommunications service. The creation and production of podcast content is a Class 41 entertainment service. Most podcasters need both classes, plus Class 9 for any downloadable audio files.

Are push notification services in Class 38?

Yes. Push notification delivery, SMS messaging services, and other electronic message transmission services belong in Class 38. The software platform that manages and sends notifications may also require Class 42.

Does Class 38 cover VPN services?

Yes. Virtual private network services that provide secure internet connections are classified in Class 38 as telecommunications services. The VPN software application itself belongs in Class 9 (downloadable) or Class 42 (SaaS).

Where do live streaming services fall?

Live streaming transmission services belong in Class 38. The entertainment or educational content being streamed belongs in Class 41. The platform technology belongs in Class 42. A live streaming service like Twitch typically files in all three classes.

Are chatbot and messaging platform services in Class 38?

The communication infrastructure of a messaging platform (message transmission, chat services) belongs in Class 38. The AI or technology powering a chatbot belongs in Class 42. Social aspects of the platform may implicate Class 45. Most messaging companies file across multiple classes.

How is Class 38 different from Class 42 for cloud services?

Class 38 covers the transmission of data (internet access, data transfer, content delivery networks). Class 42 covers the storage and processing of data (cloud computing, web hosting, SaaS). A cloud provider typically needs both: Class 38 for network connectivity and Class 42 for computing services.