International traffic with automatic calls reaches many Western European capitals and Pentaconta, a new, faster and more efficient exchange model, arrives.

First automatic calls with Paris, London...

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International communications are making good progress this year, with Spain applying to begin negotiations to join the European Common Market. At the beginning of the year, 12 high-frequency systems of 12 channels each with Paris, London, Brussels, Frankfurt, Geneva, Genoa and Marseille are brought into service via the Madrid-Barcelona-French border coaxial cable (extended to Perpignan). Thanks to this facility, we are able to establish direct communication with almost all countries in Western Europe, as well as improve the quality of service. As a result, the impact is noticeable in the volume of international traffic, which is up 28% on average over the previous year.

Inauguration of the Pentaconta exchange

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A major milestone in 1962 is the inauguration of the Pentaconta exchanges, which, with a cross-bar switching system, provided very fast communications and was therefore particularly suitable for intensifying the national automatic intercity service. With an "extraordinarily satisfactory" result, it will be adapted in all new automatic installations in Spain. The first Pentaconta 1000 exchange, manufactured in France, but assembled and tested by Standard Eléctrica S.A. personnel, was inaugurated in Igualada (Barcelona), with 2,000 lines.

More communication with North America

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Communications beyond the Atlantic also experienced strong growth, thanks to the implementation of two direct Madrid-New York circuits via the TAT-2 submarine cable, which, added to the three existing radio links, made it possible to increase traffic with North America by approximately 50%.