ENG-1983 — Page 270

COMMUNICATIONS AND THE MEDIA

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all radio communications sites. Radio networks planned in 1983 include a microwave network in the New Territories for the Water Supplies Department to carry telemetry and speech signals, and a mobile radio network for the general duties teams of the Urban Services Department. Line communication networks planned during 1983 include integ- rated services systems for the Royal Hong Kong Police Force and the Medical and Health Department, and a high-quality facsimile system for the Immigration Department.

The Hong Kong Telephone Company Limited, operating under a statutory franchise from the government, provides telephone and other telecommunications facilities in Hong Kong. With over two million telephones connected to the network, Hong Kong has a density of nearly 38 telephones for every 100 people. Service can normally be provided on demand anywhere in the territory. The network is fully automatic, with 65 exchanges using equipment ranging from electro-mechanical switching to advanced electronic technology. With effect from January 1, 1983, certain attachments and services previously provided exclusively by the company were supplied competitively. The changes were brought about progressively and included such attachments and services as telephone instruments, PABXs, radio paging, mobile radio telephone, Datex message and Viewdata. However, the public telephone network continues to be operated by the company as a monopoly service subject to the Scheme of Control.

Hong Kong's international telephone service is provided jointly by the Hong Kong Telephone Company Limited and Cable and Wireless (Hong Kong) Limited. A world-wide operator-connected service is available and International Direct Dialling calls can be made to more than 100 countries. There has been a tenfold increase in outgoing international telephone calls from Hong Kong during the last 10 years.

Cable and Wireless (Hong Kong) Limited, which is owned jointly by Cable and Wireless PLC and the Hong Kong Government, provides the international telecommunication services as well as local telegram and telex services. These include public telegram, telex, telephone, television programmes transmission and reception, leased circuits, fac- simile, switched data, ship-shore and air-ground communications. International facilities are provided through submarine cables, microwave, tropospheric scatter and satellite radio systems.

Since March, subscribers to the International Public Switched Data Service (IPSD) and International Facsimile Service (IFAX) have been able to make data or facsimile calls to one another in Hong Kong provided the terminal equipment is compatible.

During the year, a second international telephone exchange centre was brought into service in Hermes House, Kowloon. The new exchange has a capacity for 60 000 channels and 2920 international circuits. This exchange is linked to the existing centre in New Mercury House on Hong Kong Island by a cross-harbour optical fibre cable system.

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