100. Future development includes the provision of a new major exchange in the North Point area and the replacement of the existing Waterloo Road Exchange in Kowloon.
101. Charges remain amongst the lowest in the world, being Hong Kong $300 per annum for a business line, local calls being unlimited in number and free of charge.
TELEPHONE ALLOCATION BOARD
102. The above Board which deals with all Government telephone requirements continued to operate under the Chairmanship of the Post- master General (ex officio) and now has under its jurisdiction over 4,000 telephone circuits.
OTHER COMMUNICATIONS
103. Messrs. Cable and Wireless Limited are responsible for all telegraph and radiotelephone services between Hong Kong and countries overseas, for telegraph and radiotelephone services with ships at sea and for a V.H.F. radiotelephone service with ships in Hong Kong harbour. In addition, they provide a service for internal telegrams on Hong Kong Island and in the New Territories.
104. The Company is also responsible for the technical maintenance of the Colony's Aeradio and Meteorological radio services, the Govern- ment broadcasting service and the V.H.F. communications of various Government departments.
105. The despatch, reception and relaying of telegrams is the Com- pany's principal business. The number of telegrams handled, including those in transit, is approximately 2,500,000 a year. The telegraphic communications of the Colony are well served by several deep sea cables linked to the Company's world-wide network of 142,500 miles of submarine cables, and by seventeen direct high speed wireless tele- graph circuits working with other centres in the Far East and beyond. During the year, one new radiotelegraph circuit was opened to Davao, Philippines.
106. The overseas radiotelephone services, worked in collaboration with the Hong Kong Telephone Company Limited, continued to expand. During the year, new services were opened to South Africa, Barbados, Trinidad and Yugoslavia. Relay services via Hong Kong were opened between Taipei/Singapore, Taipei/Bangkok, Hawaii/Bangkok and Borneo/U.S.A. and Canada. The existing telephone schedules to some places were extended in length.
16
Page 20Page 21
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.