Telecom Fortnights
Telecom Fortnights
Educating the public was a key activity for the Post Office. 'Telecom Fortnights' were an opportunity for being informative and for marketing the telephone service.





Photo: North Area Telephone Manager's Office © BT Heritage 1953 TCB 473 P5901.
| EXIT | Telecom Fortnights | Open Days |
Overview

As a public service, Post Office Telephones played a role in educating everyone about the use of the telephone, the emerging technology, and developments behind it all. It liked to 'showcase' what was happening and to display key features of both new and old technology.

'Telephone Fortnights' were held annually during which period the latest telephones could be marketed and telephone exchanges were opened to visitors. Small displays of products were a permanent feature at Sales Bureaux in Telephone Area Offices.

In 1980, as Post Office Telecommunications evolved into British Telecom, the new organisation needed to show the public just what was being done to improve the telephone service. The result was an eight point plan to introduce the following key measures :-
  1. Modernisation to replace older Strowger exchanges by electronic types. [TXE2s & TXE4s]
  2. Replacing external plant and fixing trouble spots in the local cable network.
  3. Improving the standard telephone with electronic microphones and new models.
  4. Improving the payphone service with replacement of public kiosks and new renters models.
  5. Improving the international service with greater investment to keep up with the growth in traffic.
  6. Improving reactions to customer complaints by sweeping away the old civil service style management and delegating responsibility.
  7. Improving purchasing methods to ensure what the customer ordered was available at the right time.
  8. Removing the causes of staff dissension by grades restructuring and encouragement of dedication to customer service.

This plan was promoted between 7-19 July as Telecom Fortnight, during which time many telephone exchanges, operator centres, computer centres and offices were opened to thousands of visitors who were given the unique opportunity to see behind the scenes of the telephone service.

Telecom Fortnight 7-19th July 1980
British Telecom: World leader in Telecommunications Understanding your telephone bill Leading the world with IDD Connecting you Serving the customer Your faithful servant  
             
Leaflets PH 2885/2886/2887/2888/2889 (6/80)


On 10th April 1961 the Postmaster General inaugurated 'Telephone Week' during which period the public was invited to visit telephone exchanges. It is thought that 'Open Days and Telephone Weeks' had been a regular occurence from the 1920s onwards. These were limited during the 1970s due to the London bombings and the need for stricter security throughout that decade.

Open Days
Open Days
Telephone Exchange Open Days usually coincided with 'Telephone Week.'





 Leaflet: Welcome to your Telephone Exchange PH 1534 (3/68)
   
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