Story: Telecommunications

South-East Asia Commonwealth cable

South-East Asia Commonwealth cable

During the 1960s the Commonwealth Telecommunications Board laid a round-the-world submarine cable linking Commonwealth countries. The section linking New Zealand to South-East Asia via Cairns and Hong Kong, known as SEACOM, was opened at this ceremony held in 1967. New Zealand strongly supported the plan, and the increase in voice traffic between these countries soon outgrew the existing radio-telephony system.

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Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga
Reference: AAMF W3327 box 209 PO706

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How to cite this page:

A. C. Wilson, 'Telecommunications - Phones, faxes and satellites', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/22021/south-east-asia-commonwealth-cable (accessed 26 April 2024)

Story by A. C. Wilson, published 11 Mar 2010, updated 1 Apr 2022