Colony of North Borneo annual report.

  • British North Borneo
Date:
[1959]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Colony of North Borneo annual report. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    183/274 page 149
    TELEPHONES Subscribers The demand for new telephone installations in 1959 did not continue at the very high level experienced in 1958. Nevertheless there has been good steady development. For example, the number of working exchange lines rose by 16.5 per cent and the number of telephones connected to public exchanges rose from 2,411 to 2,786, representing an increase of 15.5 per cent. Of the telephones, ninety-seven per cent are connected to automatic exchanges. The number of new telephones connected was 549; 174 were disconnected and 460 transferred. Telephone revenue increased by forty-three per cent during the year to $660,879. A limited number of coloured telephones were received from the manufacturer and were made available to subscribers. It is anticipated that the coloured instruments will be popular and a larger number will be made available next year. Exchanges The capacity of several exchanges was increased during the year, the total installed capacity being raised by 15.7 per cent. The capacity of each of Likas, Beaufort and Lahad Datu was raised from fifty to 100 lines; Kota Belud from twenty-five to fifty lines; Membakut from ten to twenty-five lines. Replacing the old exchange of 150 lines in Labuan a new exchange of 250 lines was installed, complete with a well equipped switchboard to handle trunk calls to Jesselton, Brunei and Sarawak. At Sandakan a temporary 100-line relief exchange was installed to cope with subscriber applicants until the 500-line extension can be provided in 1961. A 25-line automatic exchange was installed at Ranau to replace the 10-line manual switchboard. A new exchange building is nearing completion in Jesselton and the installation of equipment for a new 1,500-line automatic exchange and a four-position trunk switchboard is due to com¬ mence in February next. The superseded equipment from Jesselton will be installed at Sandakan (500-line extension) and at Tawau (500-line exchange and trunk board). Work is progressing to provide a good telephone service to some of the less developed areas—small automatic exchanges are being installed at Sipitang (with VHF radio trunks to Labuan) and at Weston (with land line trunk to Beaufort). On the east coast of the Colony at Semporna no telephone service yet exists but equipment is soon due to arrive which will provide a 50- line automatic exchange. Trunk service to Semporna will be by VHF radio via Boheydulong Island, and this scheme is partly completed.
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