Telephone subscribers advised to restrict conversations during peak periods

Published on: Thursday, October 04, 1962

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NORTH BORNEO NEWS & SABAH TIMES - (Thursday, October 4, 1962) - JESSELTON, Wed. — The Director of Posts and Telegraphs, Mr C. J. Fenton, said today that telephone subscribers speaking over the Likas link could help themselves and their fellow-subscriber by restricting their conversations during peak periods.

Mr Fenton was referring to complaints of congestion on the Likas/Jesselton telephone link.

The Department is well aware that during recent months the volume of calls has increased to such an extent that subscriber are experiencing annoying delays on the Likas/Jesselton telephone link at peak periods, said Mr Fenton.

“The reasons are: (a) tie present trunk junctions are not adequate to handle the traffic at peak periods.

(b) Likas subscribers, having obtained their connection, are inclined to chat happily away for ten or twenty minutes, thus preventing other subscribers from making calls.”

Mr Fenton thinks that many subscribers are not aware, or do not appreciate, that although Jesselton/Likas telephone calls are free (as are local calls) they in fact operate over trunk circuits.

Mr Fenton emphasised that the Department is continuously working to improve the standard of service.

“This week two extra trunk lines have been installed on this Likas service” said Mr Fenton.

Work is in progress on the laying of a submarine cable to Likas and should be completed within a month.

As soon as this cable has been laid, more trunk lines will be available and some of the Likas subscribers will be given direct connection to the Jesselton Exchange.

The Director requested subscribers to report telephone faults direct to the Posts and Telegraphs Department, as indicated at the beginning of the Telephone Directory, instead of making their complaints known through District Councils and Residency Team Meetings.

“Speedy action will be taken to remedy faults” said Mr Fenton.

“If a subscriber does not get complaint he should write immediately to the Director”.

Finally Mr Fenton gave news of a new telephone exchange at Inanam. “ A 100 line telephone exchange is on order for installation at Inanam.

Work on the building will start this year and if delivery dates are kept the new exchange should be in operation by the middle of next year.”

In the meantime, Mr Fenton appealed to subscribers to restrict their conversations on the Jesselton-Likas link during peak periods.