TELEX SERVICE IN SINGAPORE (Capacity and efficiency)

Mr P. Selvadurai asked the Minister for Communications if he is satisfied with the capacity and efficiency of the Telex service in Singapore.

The Minister for Communications (Mr Yong Nyuk Lin): Mr Speaker, Sir, because the demand for Telex service in Singapore has grown at an accelerated rate in recent years (the growth rate for the first half of 1971 is 60 per cent on that of the same period for 1970) and the fact that suppliers for teleprinter have not been able to honour delivery dates last year, I regret to state that the Telex service at present is not as satisfactory as we would want it to be.

However, we have taken the following steps to improve the situation:

Firstly, in the middle of last year, an order was made for 262 Telex machines, and again in January this year, another order for 503 Telex machines was made, thus making a total of 765 machines on order at a cost of $2.6 million. As the present number of applicants for Telex machines who are on the waiting list is 249, subject to the above suppliers meeting their delivery dates, we should be able to satisfy the present demand for Telex machines in full by the middle of next year.

Secondly, 400 lines of the 1,200-line National Automatic Telex Exchange, costing $1.96 million, will be commissioned into operation this month (October). The full capacity of this exchange will be realised by the middle of next year.

Thirdly, a 150-channel automatic International Telex Exchange has been ordered at a cost of $640,000, and should be operational early in 1973.