Ordinary commercial telephone growth and technical development of the telephone service flourished abroad in 1939 although an increased percentage of communication development in Europe was in the military field. In other parts of the world, particularly in the Americas south of the United States, the evidence is that 1939 was one of the best years to date.
Most of the great telephone construction projects reported by European governments during 1939 are long-term peace-time programs, which provide automatic telephone service and a splendid international network of long-distance telephone facilities. Widespread military preparations in Europe have stimulated to some extent the construction of commercially useful telephone facilities. Telephone pathways, over which high grade communication with important centers may be maintained, are equally vital in peace or war.
12-Channel Cable Systems.
Complete information for the last part of 1939 is not available due to the war. Most countries in Europe, however, added to their long-distance telephone-cable networks during 1939. Since the use of the new 12-channel, carrier-on-cable systems has been particularly prominent, this means that the telephone and telegraph channels along the main routings have been greatly multiplied. The 12-channel cable technique is being applied to the main routings throughout the telephone system of Great Britain and 2,000 km. of this cable was installed, under construction or placed on order last year, and 4,000 km. of other cable was installed or was under construction at the end of the year. On the London-Paris 12-channel cable system, the section from London to the French Coast, including the submarine portion, has been completed and considerable progress has been made with the manufacture and installation of the section in France.
Initial systems of the 12-channel cable have been completed or are under construction in a number of countries on the Continent. For instance, in Belgium the Rosendaal cable, which is to connect the toll telephone networks of Belgium and Holland, was completed during the year. In Sweden, the Goteborg-Malmo system was under construction at the end of the year, and in Finland the Helsinki-Turu plan was started, a system which is to be connected to the recently laid Stockholm-Turku submarine cable which is also designed for 12-channel operation. In Denmark, a combined 12-channel and loaded cable is under construction between Aalborg and Aarhus, and this cable is to be extended to Copenhagen. In Rumania, important extensions of existing 12-channel routings were made during 1939. The cable systems of Norway and Sweden were connected by the installation of the Halden-Kornsjo cable. Major telephone cable construction occurred in several other countries in Europe, concerning which information has not yet been released.
Automatic Service and Improvements.
Many countries in Europe also added automatic central offices during the year in their programs to convert their telephone systems to dial operation. Of outstanding interest in this connection is the extension to the entire Brussels area of the Belgium scheme of national dial service. The Belgian service incorporates a machine which computes the subscribers' toll charge ticket automatically. This ingenious device, which does all of the calculating on a long-distance toll ticket ordinarily done by the human operator, is one of several unusual developments which have made national intercity dial service possible in several countries of Europe, particularly in Belgium and Switzerland where the highly progressive Government Telephone Administrations and manufacturing associated companies of the International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation have cooperated closely in this and other developments having to do with automatic telephone service.
Additional important improvements have been made in the subscribers' hand-set telephone by the laboratories of Standard Telephones and Cables, Ltd., in London and Bell Telephone Manufacturing Company of Antwerp, two major suppliers of telephone sets in Europe. Transmission values have been refined even further and advanced features have been incorporated which will increase the protection against any possible atmospheric impairment.
One interesting telephone development of 1939 has been taking place in Australia. The Postmaster General's Department there has made the first application made anywhere outside the United States of 12-channel carrier on telephone open wire lines. This system has been applied on the most important long-distance telephone routing in Australia, which is between the two largest cities, Melbourne and Sydney, approximately 600 miles apart. The carrier equipment which is applied to the existing open wire line multiplies the number of telephone calls and telegraph messages which it can carry simultaneously. This installation was put in service on Nov. 1, 1939.
One of the largest installations of automatic telephone equipment ever made in the tropics was the cutover at Colombo, Ceylon in April 1939. It converted the telephone system of the entire city of Colombo, population 285,000, to automatic operation. Because of the climate — Colombo is approximately seven degrees from the Equator — the equipment is protected with a scientific tropical finish and the central offices are air conditioned for both temperature and moisture.
Extension of Service during 1939.
As to telephone growth outside the United States during 1939, figures reported by telephone operating subsidiaries of the International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation may be a significant indication. These companies operate in Argentina, Southern Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, Rumania and Shanghai, China. They reported an aggregate net gain of 72,000 telephones for 1939. The United River Plata Telephone Company of Argentina contributed a gain of approximately 26,500. The Shanghai Telephone Company continued its rapid recovery from the unsettled conditions in the Far East and gained about 15,600 telephones. The Rumanian Telephone Company gained approximately 8,000. In Chile, a severe earthquake destroyed several cities early in the year, but the telephone company restored service quickly in the stricken areas and went on to finish the year with an additional net 6,000 telephones in service. The Mexican Telephone and Telegraph Company gained approximately 7,000 telephones, and the systems in Peru, Cuba, Puerto Rico and southern Brazil reported gratifying increases in line with their development.
The progress of conversion to automatic service of I. T. & T. telephone companies continued throughout 1939 and approximately 78 per cent of their total telephones were dial operated at the end of 1939.
One of the most significant considerations of telephone companies operating on a national and international basis is the demand for long-distance service, and the I. T. & T. telephone operating companies report that they handled 9 per cent more such calls in 1939 than they did in 1938, which was their all-time record year.
Although the outbreak of war in Europe has disrupted the telephone service between certain countries, the world radio-telephone network has continued to grow and more direct services were opened during the year. South America, Central America and the West Indies service has improved and expanded.
