Did bell invent telephone or was he just the first to enter his patent?

Alexander Graham Bell is credited with inventing the telephone, as he developed the first practical device that could transmit clear speech electronically. However, he was not the only inventor working on similar technology at the time; Elisha Gray filed a patent for a similar device on the same day as Bell. Ultimately, Bell's patent was granted first, leading to his recognition as the inventor of the telephone.