Post Office Telecommunications
Encyclopedia
Post Office Telecommunications was set up as a separate department of the UK Post Office, in October 1969. The Post Office Act of that year was passed to provide for greater efficiency in post and telephone services; rather than run a range of services, each organisation would be able to focus on their respective service, with dedicated management. By law, the Post Office had the exclusive right to operate the UK national telecom network, and limited ability to licence other providers' services and equipment.
The 1970s was a period of great expansion for the Post Office. Most exchanges were modernised and expanded, and many new services, such as STD
and international dialling were added. By the early 70s, subscribers in most cities could dial direct to Western Europe, the US, and Canada; by the end of the decade, most of the world could be dialled direct. The System X
digital switching platform was developed, and the first digital exchanges began to be installed. However, progress came at a price. Investment was stifled by public spending limits, and long waiting lists for telephone lines developed, sometimes for years.
In 1979, the Conservatives, driven by an ideological preference for the private over the public sector, and justifying the policy on the basis of the scale of investment needed if the UK was to remain a global competitor in communications services, decided that telecommunications should be fully separated from the Post Office. By 1981, the British Telecommunications Act was passed, and the service became British Telecom in October that year.
.
The 1970s was a period of great expansion for the Post Office. Most exchanges were modernised and expanded, and many new services, such as STD
Subscriber trunk dialling
Subscriber trunk dialling is a term for a telephone system allowing subscribers to dial trunk calls without operator assistance.- Terminology :...
and international dialling were added. By the early 70s, subscribers in most cities could dial direct to Western Europe, the US, and Canada; by the end of the decade, most of the world could be dialled direct. The System X
System X (telephony)
System X was the name of the UK's first national digital telephone exchange system.-Development:System X was developed by the UK Post Office , GEC, Plessey, and Standard Telephones and Cables and first shown in public in 1979 at the Telecom 79 exhibition in Geneva Switzerland...
digital switching platform was developed, and the first digital exchanges began to be installed. However, progress came at a price. Investment was stifled by public spending limits, and long waiting lists for telephone lines developed, sometimes for years.
In 1979, the Conservatives, driven by an ideological preference for the private over the public sector, and justifying the policy on the basis of the scale of investment needed if the UK was to remain a global competitor in communications services, decided that telecommunications should be fully separated from the Post Office. By 1981, the British Telecommunications Act was passed, and the service became British Telecom in October that year.
Historical documents
Records of the Post Office Corporation (Telecommunications division) 1969-1981 and its predecessors (including Post Office Telegraph and Telephone Service 1864-1969 and some private telegraph and telephone companies) are Public Records, and are held by BT ArchivesBT Archives
BT Archives is an archive preserving the documentary heritage of BT and its public sector predecessors. It is designated an official place of deposit for Public Records, for those records created prior to BT's privatisation in 1984....
.