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Telegraph and Telephone Conferences

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International Telegraph Conference (Berlin, 1885)

10 August - 16 September 1885 - Berlin, Germany

The advent of telephony in 1875 and its subsequent rapid expansion prompted the second administrative conference held in 1885, to consider regulations for telephony. An article consisting of 5 general paragraphs devoted to the “international telephone service” was added to the Telegraph Regulations. A time-unit of 5 minutes was fixed as a unit of charge, and the total length of one conversation was limited to 10 minutes if there were other requests for the use of the telephone line.

Concerning telegraphy, a new tariff system was established which divided the world into two parts, the European regime and the Extra-European regime. Uniform terminal and transit rates were established for the European regime.
International Telegraph Conference (Berlin, 1885)
    • International Telegraph Convention with Berlin revision of service regulations and tariffs (Berlin, 1885)
      (English)
    • Convention télégraphique internationale de St-Pétersbourg et Règlement et tarifs y annexés, révision de Berlin (Berlin, 1885)
      (Français)
    • Documents de la Conférence télégraphique internationale de Berlin (Berlin, 1885)
      (Français)

Chairman

Dr. de Stephan, Secretary of State for the Department of Posts (German Empire)

Countries participating

32

Observers

18

    List of participants

Library Catalogue

  • Link to the ITU Library Catalogue (Berlin, 1885)
    (Multilingual)

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