ons satellites were a global undertaking as they Broadband Telecommunications Technologies and Management Local exchange Regional exchange Content server Local exchange Content Figure 3.21 Pipe and content provision served entire continents. These infrastructure projects were negotiated under the auspices of the United Nations and through the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). Global Standardisation National telephone companies followed global standards in various aspects of telephony sys- items. Analogue telephony transmitted in the baseband can easily be converted to sound. However, signalling systems needed to be standardised, especially after automatic switching was introduced. The called party number needed to follow standard specification in order that the receiving exchange could route the call to its destination. The telecommunications government department in most countries was represented in standardi- sation bodies - at times through the incumbent operator, and worked together with manufacturers in ratifying these standards. They then ensured that national operators worked within these standards. Case Study 3.2: AT&T The case of the BTC and its successor the American Telegraph and Telephone Company (AT&T) illustrates the business and policy issues associated with telephony service pro- vision. Bell's contributions as discussed in the Historical Note included perfecting the technologies necessary for transmission of voice using electrical wires. However, these by themselves were not enough to ensure the success of telephony service provision. Bell also created a company which in time would provide a universal telephony service to almost the entire North American market. The BTC (and its successor, AT&T) was greatly successful and grew to become one of the most valuable companies on the New York Stock Exchange. Voice Communications The success of the BTC was based initially on its utilisation of Bell's patented tech- nology, licensing fees and ensuring competitors remained at a disadvantage. I