SATAI 
Chief-Secretary System 2/2/1 This type of telephone equipment carried in English on behalf of "key systems", because the switching necessary for its operation were made by "keys" electromechanical push button is acting on a set of contacts to make connections or disconnections appropriate.
In short, a "key system" is a multiline telephone system used primarily in small offices or departments in large offices, so that one or more outside lines could be shared among all system devices, having also one or more internal lines for intercom equipment. Telefonica decided to introduce at the end of the decade of the 60s of last century, calling: Automated Phone System with Intercom Subscriber, hence of SATAI.
At that time, virtually the sole supplier of Telefonica was Cites phones, so we requested that the manufactures. Within the ITT were made "key systems" in Standard Electric Lorenz (Stuttgart) and Bell Telephone Manufacturing (Antwerp), both aesthetic design was Assistant phone lines (in Spain called Herald). Both Germany and Belgium produced several models:
Systems Chief-secretary: 1/2/1 and 2/2/1 systems
Key: 1/5/1 and 2/11/2
(and I believe any more )
The first number that indicated refers to the number of external lines. The 2 nd the number of telephones and the third the number of internal lines. Telefónica
wanted the four methods mentioned, but the problem that arose was that in the first three used a frame rate Heraldo even larger (for which he had to build a set of molds which could be projected amounts written off), but for a frame 2/11/2 needed even more, which meant a new set of molds, which there was no way to recoup given the small number of 2/11/2 was projected. Also in Germany and Belgium 1/5/1 and 2/11/2 systems were respectively 6 and 12 units, each unit as there was no button for the device itself, but Telefónica insisted that each button was devoted to an apparatus systems thus became 1/6/1 and 2/12/2. Then we saw that it was possible to build a 1/6/1 in the small frame, but in the case of 2/12/2 was totally impossible to use the frame for lack of space to locate the keys to 12 keys. We met many times with Engineering Plans and Standards but had no way to convince them of the impossibility, until it occurred to me (one, from time to time, think) you could build a 2/6/2, so mounted device model in the Laboratory of Electroacoustics, was presented to Planning and Standards, and (miracle!) agreed.
Satai For many years, were well accepted, especially the Chief-Secretary, and which greatly facilitates communication within companies. Not to mention some "Tactics" Telefónica, such to say the would-be subscriber line available for Satai was not for Heraldo. (It is not uncommon as an employee of Cites told that if he wanted his phone line had to install a gondola floor and not a Herald). Telefónica
Years later reiterated that he wanted a larger system that the 2/6/2, asking for a 4/10/5. No such system existed in ITTEuropa companies, so I went to America to find what was in Telecomm ITT in Corinth, Mississippi. The closest they had was a 4/10/1. When I told them I wanted a 4/10/5 looked like a madman, and that 5 internal lines meant that they were all talking at once each other (in pairs). I already knew and had been noted to Telefonica, but you know, "the customer is always right." How to use a "key system" in the U.S. was different from English. There, the inner line used almost exclusively to transfer the external call to another device and not chat with each other (in a small office you want to talk with a partner it makes sense to go to their table and no call on the intercom) with a single interior line was adequate. After much study the case that we could include other internal line, thus obtaining a 4/10/2. He presented to Planning and Standards and told us that, in principle, accepted it but the aesthetic design (very American) did not like. So again we were in the first box. (I mean the game of the goose). Shortly after the General Director of Telefonica said it wanted to visit the factory Cites Madrid, so we organized the visit including a presentation of the products Cites Malaga. CITES office in Madrid mounted a small exhibition of telephones and switchboards that made CITES, which include, above all by "fill", the design of 4/10/2 rejected. At about 10 am were presented responsible for Planning and Standards and Commercial Telefónica, when we saw the 4/10/2 said something like, "What does this rubbish here?. You know we do not like "Almost immediately it was announced that the Director General, together with the Technical Director of Telefónica had just arrived. The Technical Director had been the previous week U.S. visit, and possibly influenced by what he saw there, as she entered the room where the devices were turned to 4/10/2 and said: "This is what we need! I love this design!. " Needless to say, the same as five minutes before they began designing railed to praise. The truth is that, in view of things with the perspective of years, those who were right were those who did not like. The 4/10/2 was not a success.
Much later, when the music came into handsets, were designed Satais Teide. But the story is better than other more aware tell me, because at the time that I was no longer designed in engineering but in Marketing.
