Modern exchanges will complete system

Further contracts for the modernising and extension of Papua New Guinea's telephone system have been let. Standard Telephones and Cables of Sydney have a $1 million order which includes the installation of crossbar exchange equipment at Lae to serve 4,000 subscribers.

This is due for completion by September, 1973, and a similar installation for 2,000 subscribers in Rabaul is expected to be complete by November, 1973. PNG Minister for Posts and Telegraphs, Mr Kaibelt Diria, said when announcing the award of the contract that when the exchange improvements were completed subscribers in Lae and Rabaul would no longer have to dial ‘O' for access to STD (subscriber trunk dialling) to the rest of the country. In fact, the way would be clear for the introduction of a completely closed numbering system throughout Papua New Guinea when extensions at the Boroko exchange are completed in 1974. In a closed numbering system, all subscribers, irrespective of where they lived in the country, would dial the same number to call a particular subscriber.