Toll Operators Aim At ‘Instant' Service

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31124, 29 July 1966, Page 12

Toll Operators Aim At ‘Instant' Service

Operators at the Christchurch telephone exchange are aiming at an “instant” toll service.

With plenty of circuits available on the main trunk system, they want to cut the time it takes to connect longdistance calls to the bare minimum.

To do this they need the co-operation of the public, who are asked to follow a certain procedure when lodging toll calls. When a caller dials the toll exchange the first information to be given is the name of the exchange sought and the number. The caller should give no further information until the operator asks for it. The Deputy Chief Postmaster (M.' G. F. Bell) said yesterday that by following this procedure callers could be connected to the number they sought at least 15 seconds quicker. It also meant that operators would take less time to answer incoming calls for toll connexions.

Currently, the exchange handled between 700 and 900 calls an hour during busy

periods. The average total was now about 10,000 calls a day. Mr Bell said the complete elimination of delays on the main trunk service would steadily generate more traffic. People would not be deterred from making calls by the prospect of having to wait for connexions. Mr Bell said an increase in domestic and social calls made mainly at night was also likely. Exchange operators In Christchurch are now able to dial direct or through group services 120 exchanges in New Zealand.