Post_Office_1966-1967 — Page 22

Telephones

91. The Hong Kong Telephone Company Limited, a Public Com- pany registered in Hong Kong and operating under a franchise from the Hong Kong Government, provides all internal public telephone services.

92. Telephonic communication with the rest of the world is also available and is provided in conjunction with Cable & Wireless Limited. With the completion of the SEACOM cable, most of this international communication is today over cable circuits thus providing a much more efficient service.

93. The telephone system is full automatic, service being provided from 27 exchanges strategically placed throughout the territory. At the 31st March, 1967, there were 314,668 telephones in service which was an increase of 44,665 over the March 1966 figure. This number of tele- phones is equivalent to 8 per 100 of population, and the Company's expansion plans are based on doubling the whole system over the next 4 years.

94. At the 31st March, 1967, 10 further exchanges were under con- struction, all of which should be brought into operation before the end of March 1968, and it is of interest that one of these, at Wong Tai Sin, will ultimately provide 100,000 telephone lines in the one building and will be the largest single telephone exchange in the world.

Other Communications

95. Messrs. Cable and Wireless Limited are responsible for all tele- graph 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 an internal telegram service.

International Telecommunications

96. The final stage (III) of the HK$400,000,000 SEACOM project was completed in March 1967 thus bringing the whole 7,070 mile cable into public service and providing Hong Kong with an abundance of world-wide telecommunications channels. SEACOM provides 80 two- way channels from Hong Kong to Singapore and Guam, and 160 channels from Guam to Sydney via Madang; each channel is capable of being used for 22 Telex, Telegraph or Leased Telegraph circuits. High quality music and slow scan Television can also be transmitted over this cable.

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