HC Deb 15 March 1982 vol 20 cc15-6
16. Mr. Neale

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he expects to license Transtel telex teleprinters for independent private sector supply from July 1982 in accordance with the provisions of the British Telecommunications Act 1981; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Wakeham

My hon. Friend announced on 16 November that the target for liberalising the supply of telex teleprinters is October 1982. The necessary standards are being written and I hope that they will be completed, published and approved by October so that the independent approvals body can begin testing equipment for private sale.

Three kinds of telex teleprinter have already been evaluated by BT and are being supplied by BT to the public. I am actively exploring possible arrangements under which all manufacturers, including Transtel Telecommunications Ltd., might be given freedom to supply the same equipment direct to the public prior to October and possibly before July 1982. The issue is complicated by BT's plans to modify the telex network, which will make it necessary to alter existing telex teleprinters. I hope to announce a decision soon.

Mr. Neale

I thank my hon. Friend for that reply and congratulate him on the enthusiastic way in which he is seeking to liberalise BT's monopoly. Is my hon. Friend aware that BT has technical reservations about private sector maintenance of telex teleprinters? Will he examine the situation in the United States, where the public network operator has the right, with the agreement of the private sector maintenance companies, to uninhibited access to these machines? May I draw my hon. Friend's attention to his comment on technical changes in telex exchanges? Does he agree that the development in telecommunications on exchanges and in attachments has been evolutionary? Does he agree that if the development of one had not depended on the mutation in another, we would not have got very far?

Mr. Speaker

Order. We have taken longer on this question than we took on the previous three questions.

Mr. Wakeham

I shall be brief, because my hon. Friend's questions are so technical. I understand that BT does not have the powers that exist in the United States. I have no doubt that we shall reach a satisfactory conclusion on the matter.