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COMMUNICATIONS
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
The Telecommunications Division of the Post Office licenses and inspects installations, investigates interference and monitors trans- missions to ensure that they comply with the terms of licence. The division also acts as adviser to government departments on tele- communication matters. The $400 million SEACOM project, which is to provide Hong Kong with an abundance of worldwide all-cable telegraph, telephone and telex circuits, completed its second stage in July. High-quality cable channels were put into public service with the Philippines, Japan, the United States, United Kingdom and other European countries for telephone calls, telegraph, telex and leased-circuit services. Cable and Wireless Limited participated in the British Engineering Display during British Week, when a total of 32,800 people visited the cable ship Cable Enterprise.
Radio interference tests were conducted for long periods on potential sites selected for the satellite earth station to be con- structed in Hong Kong. This is a $40 million project, due for completion in 1968 to meet the anticipated growth in demand for telephone and telegraph channels. By the end of 1966 work was well advanced on the new troposcatter station at Cape D'Aguilar. When completed in 1967 the station will provide many high-quality channels with Taiwan for all types of traffic. A third.high-frequency station at Cape D'Aguilar, close to the troposcatter site, is also progressing rapidly.
The very popular telex service was introduced in 1959. There are over 370 subscribers in Hong Kong and the number continues to increase steadily. Sixty-six new subscribers were connected for international service in 1966. Subscribers can be connected, via 69 overseas channels, to most countries in the world which have telex services. Cable and Wireless Limited provides international radio telephone circuits with 16 destinations, with relays to most countries of the world. Services with Singapore, Malaysia, Manila, the United States and United Kingdom are by SEACOM telephone cable. A total of 84 overseas channels are in use. Telegraph services also operate over the SEACOM telephone cables, and by high-frequency radio with other points. A total of 45 channels are in operation with 26 destinations, and automatic relays are provided where necessary.
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