The Development of Telecoms - Long Distance & International

This area is unique in that it has no size – a mere 700 trunk subscribers, no Accounts, Sales or External Engineering Divisions.  It makes up for these omissions by having Kelvin House, one of the latest exchange buildings and the best known exchange building in the country, Faraday Building. This is an agglomeration of four buildings, containing, in its 10 acres of floor space, three long-distance automatic units and 1,310 positions, of which 190 are for completing continental traffic. This centre, together with the International Radio Exchange and three trunk demand control centres comprise the area, which is being increased by the addition of two more automatic units. The area office occupies Wren House in St. Paul's Churchyard.

In this area 47 radio-telephone links are terminated, there are also 365 continental lines and 12,895 inland and toll lines. The staff numbers over 5,000, of whom 4,000 are telephonists and allied supervising grades.