ABSTRACT
Research into local and regional impacts of telecommunications has been undertaken for some time, especially with reference to metropolitan decentralisation of non-manufacturing functions. The satellites in Satellite Business Systems, however, enable International Business Machines (IBM) to improve the mastery of its own internal network and so ensure control over the reliability of its own global communications. Born in 1911 as one of the first holding companies, under the name Computer Tabulating and Recording Company, the firm grouped together and controlled 13 companies scattered among 20 different locations in the US, Canada, UK and Germany. A commercial office needs to be connected with commercial departments but not with manufacturing plants. IBM thus satisfies customers while cutting costs and avoids waste of both production capacity and space to stock surplus equipment. IBM's Telecommunications and Information System consists of 3 networks, respectively, of terminals, file transmission and message transmission.
