It difficult to say 

Which was a better invention ? The telephone or the light bulb ?

Both are different things and got there own preference and priority. Telephone helped us in distance communication and light bulb brought light in our life and both the inventions made our life easy and simple.

So i will say that both are very good inventions. Thanks to Humphry Davy (Invented the first light bulb), Thomas Alva Edison (to improve the light bulb invention), Alexander Graham Bell (Invented Telephone ).

I believe the telephone is the better invention.

In a crunch, when you need illumination, you can always light a match, a candle, a fire.

If I need to get a hold of someone in an emergency, or otherwise, and they're in another city or country, hollering after them will only get me so far.

I've debated with myself for a while now and find I have to agree with portd. There are viable substitutes for electric light (and without harmful electromagnetic emanations ...), but there are no substitutes for instant across-distance communication like the telephone (Internet wasn't one of the options).

I believe the telephone is the better invention.

In a crunch, when you need illumination, you can always light a match, a candle, a fire.

If I need to get a hold of someone in an emergency, or otherwise, and they're in another city or country, hollering after them will only get me so far.

Of course, people read at night using oil lamps in ancient Rome (there was even a Latin verb, lucubrare meaning to read by artificial light). And gas lamps were used in Victorian England.

Some of the above posters seem to think that people lived in complete darkness at night until Thomas Edison. That has not been true since humans discovered how to control fire. Lamps, candles, etc. were common in many an cient civilizations.

I have to agree with the majority of the posts, the light bulb.  The necessity to see what you are doing definitely takes precedence over talking to someone a distance away from you, it is of a more personal nature.  Cell phones are even used as emergency "flashlights" because they illuminate with their screens so much, so I have to go with the light bulb.

Every invention has got its own importance, telephone is used for communication and light bulb is used for light...

Since both has different Aspects so it will not make much sense if we compare these two...

Both the invention has brought a great quality in our life. Both the inventions were invented with great efforts we it wont be a good point to judge which one is a better invention among the two.

I will say both has got equal value of importance

I'm agreeing with previous posts. First of all, it is impossible to rate one invention as being "better" than the other because they are completely different items, used for different functions, and there is no realistic way of comparing them.

With those reservations stated, however, I agree that the invention of the light bulb has made a more far-reaching impact upon the lifestyle of the human race.

I'd give my vote to the light bulb. Extending the work day, allowing construction of elaborate and extensive tunnels for railways and roadways...the light bulb has changed the landscape of our world in numerous ways. 

The telephone is important also to the technological history that has brought us to where we are today, but my vote goes to the illuminated one.

The electric light completely revolutionized our lives. It broke down the barrier which previously existed between night and day. It made life safer (arguably) industry more productive, and led to massive changes in the way cities were laid out. There is an excellent book about night in a pre-electric age entitled At Day's Close by A. Roger Ekirch. I would suggest it to anyone who is interested in seeing just how different the night before electric light really was. 

I, too, have to go with the light bulb. I hate where phone technology has moved (and the utter dependency upon them). I know, that as a parent, I would face less "attitude" in telling my children that I am taking away their lights over their phones.

Light bulb--I hate telephones and would rather email anyway. Light bulbs make life so much easier in the evenings and give us the ability to do so much more than if we didn't have them. Whenever there is a blackout, people go nuts trying to find flashlights and candles. I rest my case.

Gotta go with the light bulb as well, though both are certainly two of the 19th century's greatest inventions, becoming essential modern necessities for every home and business. The light bulb also probably saved the eyesight of many workers forced to work indoors by candlelight or lantern.

I would definitely concur with Post #3, the light bulb has become such an integral part of daily life.  The telephone definitely has had a huge impact as well, but just based consumer data alone--the sheer number of light bulbs sold and used since its creation is staggering to consider.   Modern city life would cease to exist without the light bulb.  Just consider all the safety benefits that come with artificial illumination--protective lighting on the city streets, at airports; we wouldn't be able to drive our cars at night.  If I had to choose between having light bulbs or using my phone, I would definitely choose the light bulbs.

While the previous post makes a good point, I'll still go with the light bulb.  I would say that the light bulb added more to people's quality of life than the telephone did.  If nothing else, the lightbulb helped to greatly reduce the risk of fires.  The telephone has saved lives too, through things like 911, but the light bulb probably saved more lives and added to people's ability to enjoy their lives.

The problem with the question is that things cannot be consider "better" in some absolute sense, but only better with respect to specific criteria or purposes.