Vikram earth station increases telephone traffic

New Delhi: The Vikram Earth Station — India’s first satellite earth station — which went into operation in February, 1971, has brought a three fold increase in overseas telephone calls from India. The number of calls put through the satellite station in a month are, at present, 14,830 as against 5,071, a year ago. The number of out-going telex calls has also risen by nearly 50 per cent, from 9,930 to 14,850 a month. The Overseas Communication Service which operates the Earth Station has recorded an increase of nearly Rs. 2.56 crores in its revenue earnings, from Rs. 5.85 crores in 1969-70 to nearly Rs. 8.41 crores in 1971-72. During the same period, their net profit has risen from Rs. 2.59 crores to Rs. 3.49 crores. India is now linked with 15 countries through the satellite service and operates 49 voice-grade channels. Nearly 85 per cent of the international telecommunications traffic from India flows on the satellite system and a telephone call can be had almost on demand to over 90 per cent of the world’s telephone population. The Vikram Earth Station is joined with the terminal at Bombay and the system has maintained a reliability of 99.5 per cent. The Earth Station can also provide television programmes secured from abroad when a television station is erected at Bombay.