Show Growing j Today the once-prosaic telephone companies find themselves engaged in far more varied activities than merely transmitting phone IN the term telecommunications more ac- describes the entire range of communications media in which the telephone companies are Expansion is still evident in this huge and important although some slowdown in the rate of growth has been detected of The easing no a reflection of the softening in activity currently affecting the a continued in the years ahead seems assured as communications technologies new services become and the population the heart of the telecommunications Industry is the Last year the Bell system counted more than million while the 1700 independent firms had over 24 ALL this represented a 64 per cent advance over the 82 million sets in use a decade It is true that growth in telephone installations does reflect the health of the hence this year's total will probably see some fall-off from the per cent rate of in prior years the companies got somewhat behind in meeting with consequent service This has been mostly corrected and more normal demand and growth rate should GREATEST growth potential in the field lies in data Voice contact between parties is obviously but the transmission of and charts quickly and accurately can loom large E corporate especially in decentralized Data transmission gave the Bell system some billion in revenues last year and a projection places the amount at billion by THE GAIN will not only from increases in present services but also from new services and One intriguing possibility is the use of data consoles at This concept works through with many users hooked up to one central computer The variety of services that could be performed range from bill-paying to ordering not by mail but by There is also much future promise in communication via The global system is well known to with clear visual and voice transmissions from most parts of the world now THE U.S. global system is under the exclusive aegis of Communications Satellite A few years ago approval was finally given for establishment of satellite systems with applications accepted from qualified This means that domestic systems will be nonexclusive and FIRST to launch Its domestic satellite was Western which will have another as a spare on the and five ground stations-all at a cost of million and an operating break-even point of Also in the field are American General Lockheed and Like the electric the telecommunication concerns are on a treadmill of expansion with consequent heavy financing For budgeted billion for construction in up from billion last OF THIS some billion wilt go for expected billion for ing customer and billion for modernization of existing Unlike the electric telephone financing has beer comparatively painless has had good response to bond ratings have been and debentures have been ac below-average interest compared to electric pany |