The New York herald., 1921-01-16
BRITAIN TO RAISE
TELEPHONE COST,
ALREADY SOARING
Proposed Increased Tariff
Starts Storm of Indigna-
tiOn in England.
POOR SERVICE IS RULE
Public Irritated at Having to
Pay More for Inadequate
Facilities.
POOR SERVICE IS RULE

Special Gable TO TIE NEW YORK HERALD
Copyright, I9ef, bp THE NEW YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
London. Jan. 10.
An increase in the tariff on tele-
phones has started a storm of indigna-
tion throughout England and has
brought flood of mplaints about
the service, which so far has been
running off the shoulders Of officials
like spring rain from gable roof.
The costs of telephoning always
have been high here, especially since
the war. The number Of instruments
has been limited and they have been
hard to obtain. The service is far in
ferior to which persons in America are
accustomed to. And now, just at the
time when all this is beginning TO 1r-
ritate the British public. the Post
master General has announced an as
tonishing increase in charges, amount
ing in some cases to as much as 100
per cent. This act is being decried as
a 'bornbshell thrown at trade and in
dustry."
Cost of Calls Rising.
At present every call costs the equiva-
lent Of three cents, with an annual in
stallation rental in London of $40 FOR an
exclusive and $35 for an auxiliary line.
An additional charge is made II the DIS
tance is more than two miles from the
exchange Long distance calls have
gone up in proportion. There also are
restrictions on the reasonable use OF the
telephone" which has brought up the ar
sument as to what reasonable means.
In a report the officials set forth that
the maximum capacity of a line without
impairing its efficiency Is 5000 outward
and 5000 inward calls yearly. The new
rates. which already are in effect Tor
new installation become operative on all
telephones beginning April l.
Americans who are complaining about
their telephone service should find con-
ISOLATION in these figures, and they would
almost be sllenced if they knew how
much worse than theirs the English SER
vice is. A feature about the flood of
protests that are being published in the
newspapers is the number of letters
from Englishmen who are familiar with
conditions In the United States. Ordi-
narily such comparisons are odious to
the British but this time they add elo-
qucncc to the complaints.
Letters Make Comparisons.
Many OF these letters tell IN what an
astonishingly short time good connec-
tions had been obtained In New York.
Chicago, Philadelphia and other large
cities One irate reader writes To the
editor OF the Times that he has lived
in Dallas Texas. and that it is actually
a fact that man can step into almost
any place of business in the city. and,
although unknown, can use the telephone
for nothng-nothing. ] say
In increasing the rates the Postmas-
ter-Gcneral acted upon the proposals by
a departmental committee and on rec
concentrations of a special committee or
the House of Commons. Telephones here
arc under Government control. and prob
ably because Of lack of competition not
mucn effort is made to accommodate the
public II is impossible here TO get n
telephone installed in what in America
would be considered reasonable Pc
,iod. Instead II is often necessary 10
wait weeks and perhaps months.
OF course much of this is due TO con-
gestion since the war. but the British
public is tired of that argument. espe-
clally now in the face of the new rate
increases The small users especially
are hard hit by the new order, as those
making fewer than 400 calls yearly are
charged an average of IL cents CALL
Those who are protesting most loudly.
however. are the business men. who say
the rental increase VIII necessitate a
curtailment in the number Of telephones.
which In turn will result in crippling
business.
Outburste of indignation are coming
from all quarters and the press Is unani-
nous in a campaign OF protest. SO 1t Is
likely that the question may be reconsid-
cred, although as yet there is nothing to
indicate such an attitude on the part or