asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will state the number of circuits available from Dublin for cross-Channel trunk calls and by whom the deep sea cables providing such circuits are owned.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cross-Channel Trunk Calls.
There are 24 telephone trunk circuits available for cross-Channel calls from this country. The under-sea cables which carry these circuits are jointly owned by the two Administrations.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he is aware that the inordinate delay in the connection of cross-Channel trunk calls is a great impediment to the efficient discharge of business and commerce; and, if so, what steps he proposes to take to obviate such delay.
I appreciate that the heavy delay at times to cross-Channel telephone calls occasions inconvenience to telephone users. The number of cross-Channel circuits, although trebled since the end of the war, is not sufficient to carry the heavy volume of traffic, during the busy hours, without delay.
Arrangements have been made to double the number of existing cross-Channel circuits and it is hoped that the additional circuits will be ready for service in two years' time.