RADIO TELEPHONE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 169, 20 July 1939, Page 12

RADIO TELEPHONE.

SATISFACTORY INCREASE.

MORE OVERSEAS CALLS

The use of the radio telephone for communication between Xew Zealand. Australia, the United Kingdom and the continent of Europe showed a satisfactory degree of expansion during the 12 months ended June 30, the 3681 calls handled showing an increase of over 40 per cent, or 1065 conversations, compared with the previous year. The calls to and from the United Kingdom numbered 288. It is in the exchange of messages between New Zealanders and Australians that the overseas radio telephone service finds its greatest scope. The rate for calls to Australia was reduced in July, 1938, to 10/ per minute, with a minimum of 30/. Public response to this reduction was a marked increase in the use of the facilities. A comparison of the total number of calls handled between these points for the quarter ended June 30 in three successive years shows that the business has now aimost doubled. The details are: — . „ 1037 1938 1030 :V ,r " 101 05 190 > la y 100 100 249 Ju "e 124 140 177 Totals ... 320 ~335 Ihe radio telephone maintained its popularity a as a means of communication for passerfgers on the trans-Tasman liner Awatea, the calls numbering 783 for the year. °