Microwave Link Will End Toll Call Delays

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31107, 9 July 1966, Page 16

Microwave Link Will End Toll Call Delays

The frustration businessmen and others feel When their toll calls are delayed is almost a thing of the past. A super - high - frequency radio system, known as the microwave link, will come into service on Monday, providing at least 600 circuits between the main centres of the North and South Islands.

The Regional Engineer (Mr H. W. Wilkinson) said yesterday that the link would end delays in toll calling even at the busiest periods. Beginning on Monday the new system will link Welling-ton-Christchurch-Dunedin and Christchurch with Ashburton, Timaru and Oamaru/ Later the link will also be taken to Blenheim. Although the basic number of circuits between Wellington and Dunedin is 600 these may be broken into shorter lengths to provide additional circuits to interim points. The microwave link will take over most of the links now provided by open wire or very-high-frequency equipment. The release of this equipment will enable the Post Office to bring better services to other places. Mr Wilkinson said the equipment now used at Ashburton would be transferred

to Leeston, enabling engineers to bring the Southbridge exchange into service. Other equipment would be transferred to Waimate, Geraldine and smaller centres away from the main trunk. The microwave link is basically provided by radio waves in a line-of-sight path transmitted through stations at 30 to 40-mile intervals. From the terminal stations they are relayed to telephone exchanges by coaxial cable.