MECH
In 1969, Bank of Montreal announced a five-year program to create an online network of branches with a real-time connection to a central computer. The system was hailed as the “most revolutionary development in the history of Canadian banking and a world first in terms of its scope.”
The new system connected 1,100 branches, spanning six time zones, via communications terminals linked to a large central computer – the IBM System/360 Model 65 located in Toronto.
MECH gave the Bank of Montreal the largest banking terminal network in the world. The enhanced efficiency offered convenience for customers, and allowed branch personnel to concentrate on customer service and expanded service capabilities.