HC Deb 29 June 1926 vol 197 cc985-6W
Sir H. BRITTAIN

asked the Postmaster-General whether any method is employed by his Department to ascertain the amount of wrong numbers with which telephone subscribers are connected in the various exchanges throughout the country; what means are being taken to make these mistakes more uncommon; and whether there has been any improvement in this respect during the past 12 months?

Viscount WOLMER

The daily observations recorded enable the percentage of wrong numbers to be estimated with fair accuracy at all the larger Exchanges throughout the country. The means adopted to reduce the number of errors include the careful training of operators in enunciation and in the method of passing numbers; the clearer marking of junction and subscribers' lines on switchboards, and improvement in the transmission qualities of order wires between Exchanges. The observations indicate a general improvement throughout the country during the past year.

Colonel DAY

asked the Postmaster-General the number of telephone installations completed during the last 12 months to the last convenient date, together with the number for the preceding 12 months?

Viscount WOLMER

The number of new telephones installed during the 12 months ended the 30th April, 1926, was 225,352. The number installed during the preceding 12 months was 216,980.