Post_Office_1970-1971 — Page 22

Services

Telegraph

85. Telegraph services are provided by means of the above systems. These services include public telegraph, private leased circuits and private circuit networks. The majority of these private networks are centred in Mercury House, where they are operated and maintained by the Company's staff on behalf of the client.

Message Switching Computer

86. In order to handle the increasing volume of telegraph traffic, a computer was installed in 1969, known as M.S.C. 1, which was shortly afterwards augmented by the installation of M.S.C. 2. Expansion is planned for October 1971 which will more than treble the original capacity of the system by the addition of M.S.C. 3. Besides the public telegraph network, the Message Switching Computer also handles switching for several airline signals centres.

Telex

87. The international telex service provides office to office com- munications. This system continues to expand and has, at present, 1,200 subscribers in Hong Kong. The domestic telex has 157 subscribers of whom 141 are also international subscribers and 16 who are domestic only.

88. To provide for the ever increasing demand a fully automatic exchange will be installed towards the end of 1971. This will permit the subscribers to dial direct into the international automatic telex system. It will also permit the introduction of a 1 minute minimum charge to areas also served by automatic exchanges. The automatic exchange will also give all international subscribers access to the domestic telex system, although this facility may be blocked in the case of subscribers who do not wish to be connected to the domestic network. Telex service is also available to ships at sea. This is a new service which was introduced in July 1970.

International Telephone Service

89. In collaboration with the Hong Kong Telephone Co. Ltd., Cable and Wireless Ltd. provides telephone services to nearly all parts of the world. Where possible these circuits are operated via the high grade

15