TELEPHONE CHARGES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4586, 16 July 1923, Page 2

TELEPHONE CHARGES.

NEW SYSTEM OF BATING. The new schedule of rates for telephone exchange connections within the various base-rate areas has now been issued by the Hon. the Post-master-General. The exchange is divided into four classes. Number t is the multi-office exchange syS-ems (Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin), comprising the network of exchanges within such multi office areas. The individual line for business is £l5, and residence £8 10s; a two-party business £10; and residence £7. Class 2 is the single office exchanges (of 1000 paying subscribers and over) with continuous attendance, in such places as Wanganui, Hamilton, Hastings,, Invercargill, and Timaru. The rates for this are : Individual business £ll, residence £7 10s; two-party business £B, residence £6. Class 3, of less than 1000' subscribers with coiitinuous attendance, in such places as Hawera, Dannevirke, Whangarei, Oamaru, and Morrinsville, the individual business line is £lO, residence £7 ; a twa party business £7, and residence £5 10s. ’in class 4‘, with restricted attendance,, in places like Paeroa, Waihi, Levin, Balclutha, etc., the individual business line will be £B, residence £6 ; a twoparty business £6, residence £4 10s a four-party business £5, and residence £3.

The rates quoted are for wall-type telephones, desk (telephones being 5s per annum extra. The charges for class 4 are on a base-rate area, approximately 12 square miles, or twomi le radius. For the purpose of fixing a differential scale of flat rates commensurate with the value of the service given, the exchange systems throughout the Dominion have been classified in groups as stated above. The new system of telephone rating consists, of defining an area (known as 'the base rate area) for each city or town at which an exchange is in existence, and fixing a schedule of rates at which subscribers within such area may be provided with telephone .service irrespective of the location pf the subscribers within the area.

The essential features of the change are that, telephone service, which has hitherto been furnished principally on the basis of Ifhe subscriber’s distance from the exchange, will in future be furnished on a flatrate basis to all subscribers within the base-rate area,, with provision for charging, as far as practicable, on a quantitative basis by fixing a scale of rates for each class of service. The new system is the outcome of a study of the rating systems of the foremost telephone administrations abroad* and is a combination of the American flatrate and the English message-rate systems, so arranged as to meet the special conditions peculiar to New Zealand.