CLEAR SPEECH ON PHONE SINCE NEW EXCHANGE CUT IN

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 22, 19 November 1948, Page 5

CLEAR SPEECH ON PHONE SINCE NEW EXCHANGE CUT IN

While it is a little early yet to assess the improvement in local telephone services from the new Whakatane exchange, there has already been a noticeable step-up in toll efficiency. Once the operators become fully acquainted with the new system, similar improvement in the speed of local hook-ups can be expected. Chief advantage noticed so far is clearer speech. The aim is a three-second service. First thing that impresses one on going “behind the scenes” is the quietness of the new exchange compared with the clatter, raised voices and air of strain which characterised the old. Still, the old exchange is not by any means junk. Its units will be sent away for complete reconditioning, and it will probably work out its dotage giving quite efficient service in a smaller community where the demands upon its'•senile capacity will not be so trying as they were here. A Few Figures A few figures wil serve to show the amazingly rapid increase in local telephone demand over the past few years. In 1932 we had 9 toll lines here. Now there are 41. Since 1934, the number of telephone ' subscribers here has more than doubled, and there are 123 on the waiting list. There are 746 miles of open aerial telephone lines in the area served by this exchange, and further expansion is hampered by lack of cable. Lamp Signals Ever wopder why, on the old exchange, one used to have to give the wanted number over and over to different operators? That was the old relay system, whereby calls which could not be handled at one position were relayed to the next and so on. New multiple boards do away with all that by a system of lamp signals. Those lamp signals also do away with any necessity to crank your telephone like the old-time butterchurn. If one full turn of the handle does not raise an answer, wait a while and try again. Because if you turn - until you’re tired it won’t make an atom of difference to the light signal, which comes on at the first turn and waits for the operator’s attention.