Syncom and its successors

Twenty years ago, Syncom III transmitted the Tokyo Olympics to the United States. It was the first transoceanic television transmission for a sustained period of time. The success of Syncom led to the development of satellite systems for both international and domestic applications. The competition that ensued among domestic satellite systems has resulted in a number of innovative services, which are in many cases characterized by small terminals on user premises. Such systems avoid the cost of terrestrial communications systems and provide for greatest customer convenience.