COMMUNICATIONS AND THE MEDIA
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of all radio communications sites. Radio networks planned during 1982 included the Civil Aid Services network for its Kowloon command, a territory-wide network for the Customs and Excise Service, a microwave telemetry network on Lantau Island for the Water Supplies Department, and PABX systems for several government departments.
The Hong Kong Telephone Company Limited, operating under a statutory franchise from the government, provides telephone and other telecommunications facilities in Hong Kong. With close to two million telephones connected to the network, Hong Kong has a density of nearly 37 telephones for every 100 people. Service can normally be provided on demand anywhere in the territory. The network is fully automatic, with 64 exchanges using equipment ranging from electro-mechanical switching to advanced electronic technology. The company offers a wide range of services and equipment to subscribers including a local and international telephone conference service, a direct-dial radio-paging service, a computerised directory enquiry service, computerised business switching systems, telephone attachments, and data transmission equipment for use on leased circuits or the public switched telephone network. A public Viewdata service, based on was the Prestel system, was introduced in July.
Hong Kong's international telephone service is provided jointly by the Hong Kong Telephone Company Limited and Cable and Wireless (Hong Kong) Limited. A world-wide operator-connected service is available, and International Direct Dialling calls can be made to more than 100 countries. There has been a significant increase in international telephone calls from Hong Kong during the last 10 years, from 6.7 million calls in 1972 to 12.7 million in 1982.
Cable and Wireless (Hong Kong) Limited, which is owned jointly by Cable and Wireless PLC and the Hong Kong Government, provides the other international telecommunication services as well as local telegram and telex services. These include public telegram, telex, leased telegraph and telephone circuits for private communications networks,-public switched data, and facsimile and international television transmission. International facilities are provided through submarine cables, microwave, tropospheric scatter, and satellite radio system.
During the year, a second international switching centre was brought into service in Kowloon. The centre is equipped with a new telex exchange to serve Kowloon and New Territories subscribers. During 1983 it will be equipped with international telephone switching equipment to cater for growth, and to safeguard communications in the event of a serious failure of the existing centre in New Mercury House on Hong Kong Island.