<P> The use of hello as a telephone greeting has been credited to Thomas Edison ; according to one source , he expressed his surprise with a misheard Hullo . Alexander Graham Bell initially used Ahoy ( as used on ships ) as a telephone greeting . However , in 1877 , Edison wrote to T.B.A. David , the president of the Central District and Printing Telegraph Company of Pittsburgh : </P>
who is credited with suggesting the word hello be used when answering the phone
Thomas Edison