TELECOMMUNICATIONS Automatic Dialling For Overseas Phone Calls

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30470, 18 June 1964, Page 16

TELECOMMUNICATIONS Automatic Dialling For Overseas Phone Calls

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) LONDON, June 17. The Commonwealth Press Union’s annual conference was told yesterday by an expert that the whole character of Commonwealth telecommunications would be transformed during the next few years.

The expert, Mr F. I. Ray, appointed telecommunications adviser to the union in 1962, said:

“No longer will messages be delayed because of circuit shortage or adverse radio conditions. Submarine telephone cables and communication satellites will for the first time in history provide enough circuits to carry the traffic.”

This would lead to a change in the philosophy of overseas telecommunications which hitherto had been rightly concerned with securing high circuit outputs. “In future the objective will be more mechanisation,” Mr Ray said. “This will help the administration by reducing costs and the users by reducing delays. ‘Do it yourself’ services will become possible over long distances. Lower Costs “Telephone and telex subscribers will soon be able to dial inter-continental calls without the intervention of an operator and it is to be hoped without the present high minimum charge for each connexion.’’ Apart from establishing an overseas telegraph office for the press in Fleet Street, the Commonwealth press might benefit in the improved communications lying ahead by a greater use of telex, by using space satellites for a world-wide press broadcast service, and possibly forming a press co-operative telegraph service.

Mr Ray said the telex system was in its infancy but was expanding rapidly, especially in Europe. West Germany led the way with about 40,000 telex instruments—more than a third of the world total and equivalent to 72 instruments per 100,000 of population. Britain came next with 10,000 instruments hut its density of only 19 instruments per 100,000 of population fell behind that of Switzerland (60), Austria (55), Denmark (41), Norway (37), Holland (32), Sweden (30), Belgium (23), Canada (21), and East Germany (20). Within the Commonwealth only Australia, Canada and Malaysia and Rhodesia had more than a- few dozen instruments. Press Groups The telecommunications committee put forward a recommendation that the union should sponsor the formation of an international press telecommunications committee to consist of international press organisations. The committee would be responsible for keeping governments and telecommunica-

tions authorities fully aware of the claims of the press to new facilities as they developed. The union later decided to sponsor the formation of the international committee.

s The proposal was put to i the meeting by the telecommunications committee chairman, Mr A. W. Mitchell, who i Is London representative of i the New Zealand Press Association.