MORE SUBSCRIBERS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 1 September 1924, Page 10

MORE SUBSCRIBERS.

TO TELEPHONE SYSTEM

RESULT OF AMENDED RATES

A notable increase in subscribers in suburban and country districts has resulted from the amended rates, and no doubt this wilt enhance the'value of the telephone to business people b\ placing them in telephonic communication with an increasing number of customers, says tlie annual report of the Postmsater-General.

Commenting in the remarkable development in the use of telephones during recent years,V the reoort says that following on the great* war the unusual demand for telephones—which it may be said is world-wide—could not be met by manufacturers. But the “waiting-list” is being steadily deduced, and the time is not far' distant when the list will be abolished. It is the aim of the Department to render more efficient service each year. Observations made during the' past year at the four principal city exchanges show that the average time elapsing between a call by a subscriber antf the answer by a telephone operator is 4.61 seconds, and that the average time elapsing between the termination of n conversation and the disconnection by an operator is 4.29 seconds. This must be considered very satisfactory under present conditions, when it is considered that much of the present apparatus is worn and cumbersome, and that a dual system of automatic and manual working is in operation. The telephone receipts during the year amounted to £830.470 This marked increase of £234.503 on the previous year was accounted for mainly c that a considerable portion of the receipts were for service to be •ende-ed during the financial year '974-25. The total of telephone 'and telegranh receipts was £1.542,366, an increase of £233,019 on the previous year.