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Press, 2 July 1983, Page 21

ary, orbit of Earth, each being able to “see” a third of the planet’s surface, is providing world communications links. About half of New Zealand’s international telecommunications traffic is now carried by satellite, and a second Earth receiving station is being built to complement that at Warkworth. Mr McPherson told the conference that, until recently, the development of communications was constrained by available technology. Now, developments were limited rather by human and financial resources. Outlining the changes likely from the new technology, Mr A. D. Ellis, manager of telephone services in Christchurch, said a survey had indicated that between 65 and 70 per cent of the Post Office’s customers would prefer phones of the new, push-button type. Immediate installation was not possible: it would take 474 man-years to convert the installed phones in Christchurch alone. The conference was told that cordless phone extensions would be available within two years, as would telephone sets for cars. Cordless phones were being delayed because signals from types available at present could be picked up on home radios, and because they were not secure: interlopers within the receiving range could log toll calls on the cordless extension’s host phone. Developments coming of particular significance to business include: Q A credit-card verifying telephone. The card will be put on top, and this will allow direct verification by

the credit-card company upon connection through the exchange. ® The linking of tele-phone-radio repeater stations through the telephone network. This will allow longer range links between bases and vehicles and at a more reasonable cost than is the case where some repeaters are linked by dedicated lines. Describing developments in firms’ phonb exchanges, Mr Philip Bell, supervising engineer of the Post Office in Christchurch, said small business exchanges, made in New Zealand, SBXs, had been introduced. These could handle up to three trunk lines and eight extensions. Within two months a version that could handle five trunks or 12 extensions would be available. Next year, there would be a smaller version that would handle one or two trunks and four to six extensions. These exchanges have push-button phones as a standard and such features as being able to inquire of a third party and “call-park-ing,” or hold calls. The electronic replacement for the medium-size firm PABX would handle up to 50 extensions and would have a wall panel and a desk console, compared with the previous 36 cubic feet of space required. Features would include call forwarding and a toll plan allowing the employer to nominate which extensions