Post_Office_1968-1969 — Page 21

the Waterworks Office, V.H.F. radiotelephony for the Prisons Depart- ment and radio, radar and special equipment on its research vessels for the Agriculture and Fisheries Department. Maintenance of sound equipment was carried out on installations of the Urban Services Department, Fire Services Department, Social Welfare Department, Prisons Department and Education Department.

Telephones

78. The Hong Kong Telephone Company Limited, a Public Company registered in Hong Kong with a nominal capital of HK$250 million, operates under a franchise from the Hong Kong Government which has been extended to 30th June, 1995, and provides all internal telephone services in the Colony. Telephone service to the rest of the world is also provided in conjunction with Cable and Wireless Ltd. and the Hong Kong operators have direct dialling access to distant subscribers in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Taiwan and Macau. The number of over- seas calls originating in Hong Kong continues to increase and over 20% more were completed in 1968 than during the previous year.

79. The telephone service is fully automatic and is provided from 42 exchanges situated throughout the territory and on the major outlying islands. The rate of demand for telephone service in Hong Kong con- tinues at a high level and further new exchanges and large extensions to existing exchanges are in progress and in the planning stage.

80. At 31st March, 1969 there were 444,996 telephones in service, which was an increase of 74,846 over the figure at the end of March 1967. This represents a penetration factor of approximately 11 tele- phones per 100 population, which is the highest in Asia with the exception of Japan which has 18 telephones per 100 population.

81. The Hong Kong Telephone Company Limited will be moving into the electronic field during 1969-70 with the bringing into service of the Company's first semi-electronic exchange at Lai Chi Kok with an initial installation of 10,000 subscriber lines. The exchange will ultimately extend to a minimum of 80,000 subscriber lines.

International Telecommunications

82. Overseas communications are provided by Cable and Wireless Limited. Hong Kong is linked by an 80-channel submarine telephone cable (SEACOM), westwards to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, and

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