NEW TELEPHONE RATES

Otago Witness, Issue 3619, 24 July 1923, Page 21

NEW TELEPHONE RATES

THE SCHEDULE EXPLAINED. A circular has been sent out by the Post and Telephone Department giving particulars of a new rating system. Under the new system an area is defined (known as the base rate area) for each centre at which there is an exchange and all subscribers within this area wifi be nrovided with the service on a flat rate 1 asis. For the purpose of fixing a differential scale of flat rates commensurate with the value of the service given, the exchange systems have been classified by the Post and Telegraph Department in groups as follows:—Class 1. multi-office systems such as Dunedin ; class 2, single office exchanges, of 1090 paying subscribers and over, with continuous attendance (Invercargill); class 3, single office exchanges, of loss than 1000 subscribers, with continuous attendance (Oamaru); class 4. single office" exchanges with restricted attendance, such as Ralelutha and Mosgiel. The riding schedule in respect of individual line connections is as follows: Business: Class 1, £ls: class 2. £11: class 3. £10; class 4, £B. Residence: Class 1, £8 10s; class 2, £7 10s; class 3. £7; class 4. £6. The base rate area for class 1 charges will include all the city suburbs. For two-party connections the charges will be £lO for businesses and £7 for residences. Fourmrtv business connections are not provided for. but a four-party residential connection will cost the subscriber £6 per annum. Invercargill is the only “second-class” exchange in the Otago district, and the Oamaru exchange is the only one coming within ihe third class. In connection with the fourth class exchanges, it is expected that the party-line provisions will be much availed of, the four-party residential rate being as low as £3 10s per annum within (he base area which is drawn to include a distance of about two miles in all directions from the exchange. The ivhole scheme is designed to encourage the development of the party-line system. stated the District Telegraph Engineer (Mr R. D. Veitch), when son by a Daily Times reporter last week. This is particularly so in regard to long party lines leading into thinly populated areas. A base system of rural lines has been devised by which as many as 10 subscribers can be placed on one circuit at an annual rental as low as £3.