ENG-1963 — Page 343

COMMUNICATIONS

279

high quality circuits which will not be subject to the fading and atmospheric conditions affecting existing radio links. It will bring a marked improvement in the telegraph, telephone and Telex services between Hong Kong and these countries.

Ship/Shore VHF Radiotelephone Service. This maritime VHF Hague Plan Service, already widely used in Europe, is now availa- ble in Hong Kong to any ship equipped with VHF radio. It was introduced on 1st August. The normal working range is about 50 miles but tests have proved that excellent contacts can be established with ships at a distance of 120 miles. The service is intended to supplement the ordinary short wave radiotelephone service with ships and the ocean radiotelephone service, both of which have been in operation for many years. The facilities for speech communications with ships outside Hong Kong have thus been considerably improved.

Telex Service. This subscriber-to-subscriber telegraph service is enjoying a rapidly growing popularity. During the year, the number of local subscribers increased by 30 per cent; new services were opened with Lebanon, Malta, Bangkok, the Republic of Sudan, Greece, Kenya, Uganda, Tanganyika, Haiti and South Korea; a direct telex circuit was established with Seoul with international calls relayed by Hong Kong; and the number of working channels were increased and the working schedules lengthened to meet increasing demands.

Harbourphone. As a result of the establishment of additional exchanges in 1962 and the increase of subscriber's units for hire, the number of harbourphone calls rose rapidly by 600 per cent in 1963. Vessels in Hong Kong harbour equipped with a sub- scriber's unit are now automatically connected to the local tele- phone system and each given a telephone number. To put through a call in either direction, it is merely necessary to dial the number required. The use of this service was very much stimulated by the improved facility with which a call can be made.

Other Services. The telecommunication services maintained by Cable and Wireless Limited in Hong Kong were in general used more by the public in 1963 than the preceding year. In step with the growth of trade, the services also promote trade. All principal traffic figures showed improvements. The radiotelephone long distance schedules with the United States and with Singapore were