International Telegraph and Telephone Conference (Cairo, 1938)

The unification of Extra-European rates for telegraph services was discussed and a sub-committee consisting of ITU members, representatives from private companies and one representative from the International Chamber of Commerce was created. The sub-committee was unable to come to an agreement and none of the proposals put forward received majority support; therefore the status quo was maintained. It was decided that the Telegraph Consultative Committee would study the issues of rates and the equivalence of rates in gold francs. They would present a report at the next conference.

The unification of code and plain language rates for telegrams within the European regime was adopted. The new fixed rate for coded telegrams was changed to 92% of the existing rate of plain language telegrams.

The Telephone Regulations were modified to include the establishment of “reversed-call charges” and “urgent aircraft calls.” Urgent aircraft calls would be given priority over all other types of calls except urgent government calls.

It was decided that henceforth the telephone regulations would be published as a separate document from the telegraph regulations.

The Telegraph Consultative Committee (CCIT) was reorganized and would function similarly to the Telephone Consultative Committee (CCIF). The CCIT would, from now on, be charged with the study of rate questions submitted to it by a plenipotentiary or administrative conference. In addition, it would set up a class system similar to the CCIR.

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