ENG-1959 — Page 312

COMMUNICATIONS

261

An international Telex service was opened during 1959 with connexions to Japan, Australia, Canada, Singapore, Malaya, Manila, the United Kingdom and several European countries. Connexions to other countries are being planned. A local Printer- gram service for the acceptance and delivery of telegrams by teleprinter is maintained and a Deskfax facsimile service for the same purpose is available for use by hotels.

A phototelegram service is available to several countries. Estimated traffic figures for the year 1959 (with 1958 figures in brackets) are as follows:

Telegrams Transmitted

Telegrams Delivered

Telegrams in Transit

Radiotelephone--inward calls

1,010,400

(965,000)

1,147,400

(1,067,100)

587,000 (469,600)

553,000 (571,800

minutes

minutes)

Radiotelephone outward calls

408,000 (450,000 minutes minutes)

Press Broadcasts

45,000,000 (43,000,000

words

words)

Meteorological Broadcasts

602,000

(639,000

words

words)

Harborphone calls with ships in

harbour

42,000

(42,000)

Telex-outward calls (June/Dec.)

3,700

Telex-inward calls (June/Dec.)

3,400

TELEPHONES

The Colony's internal telephone service is provided by the Hong Kong Telephone Company, Ltd. a public company operating under a franchise from the Hong Kong Government. Radio-telephone service is available to most parts of the world in co-operation with Cable & Wireless Limited.

The system is fully automatic and service is provided from seven major exchanges and a number of satellite exchanges. Two new major exchanges with a combined ultimate capacity of 32,000 lines were brought into service in Kowloon during 1959.

The Company's system now comprises some 68,000 direct ex- change lines and 26,500 extensions, making an approximate total of 94,500 stations. Demand for service continues to grow and