INTRA-BLOC AND INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS OF THE SINO-SOVIET BLOC, 1950-6

Created: 4/1/1962

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

109

Economic Intelligence Report

INTRA-BLOC AND INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS OF THE SINO-SOVIET

(SUPPLEMENT)

CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENOTJ-

Office of Research and Reports. ji- i

SECHKT

foreword

This reportupplementand Inter-

national Tcleccrounlcatlons of the ^ino-Sovtet,ECRET, presenting new data of high validity on the planned intra-Bloc and international semiautomatic telephone network. Thia report also shows the growth of television facilities of the Internationaland Television Organization (OUtT). In addition, tvo naps depicting the present status af high-capacity telecommunications lines in the Soviet Bloc, prepared by the Electronics and TelecooBunlcations Subcommittee of the Economic Intelligence Gomelttee, have been included ae background.

e-t

COr.TTINTS

Page

I. Planned Intra-Bloc and Internationaltea

II. International Radiobroadcasting and Television(OJRT)

III. In-plication*

Appendix A. Completion Dates for Exchanges and Circuits in the Planned Intra-Bloc and Internationalelephone Network of the Soviet Bloc

Appendix C. Source References

Illustrations

Soviet Bloc: Tern:nai Cities, Routings, andof Channels in the Planned Intra-BlocSemiautomatic Telephonefollowing page

Bloc: Planned Intra-Bloc and International Semiuutomatlc Telephone Ketvork (Map) inside buck cover

3. USSR; Routes and Capacities of Main Cable nnd

Kicrovave Radio Relay Lines,2 (Map) inside buck cover

Figure European Satellites: Routes and Capacities of Main Cable and Microwave Radio Relay Lino,2 (Map) inside back cover

Figure 5. Television Transmitters ana Receivers into the InternationalTelevision Networkolloyiag

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IHTKA-BLOC AMP IHTERNATIOiiALflK SlflO-SOVIET BLOC

(SUPPLEMEOT)

I. Planned Intra-Bloc and International Semiautomatic Telephone Syeteo

Bio USSR and the European Satellites, along withemiautomatic (operator distance dialing) and laterautomatic (subscriber distance dialing) long-distancethat will interconnect the capital cities of all thecountries with one another and vith the capitals of mostremaining countries of Europe. The network was first proposedmeeting in7 of the Organization for CooperationSocialist Countries in the Fields of Post and CommunicationsMoscow. 2/ At this meeting, attended by the ministers ofof the various countries of the Sovietas drafted calling for the preparationlanproposed telephone network. Two additional meetings, onend one in Budapeststablished the general conceptnetwork and delegated to Czechoslovakia the primarypreparing "technical conditions." Specifications were to befor approval to the OSS and then to the Chairman of Section 9byl.

At the OSS meeting in1 in Prague, the plan for routing of telephone traffic over the semiautomatic telephone network was submitted and approved. lhe suggestions and opinions of the USSR, Hungary, East Germany, and Poland were incorporated in Lhe plan submitted by Although completion of the semiautomatic network originally was plannedn extension of the completion date'l was allowed. Toe original planned completion dates for each country arc given in Appendix A. Ihe fully automatic network will be completed in approximatelyears.

* The estimates and conclusions in this report represent the best ludn-oent of this Office as

** escription of the membership, organization, and functions of OSS andf the Council for Mutual Economic Assistanceee (For serially numbered source references, see por lllc purposes of this report the Soviet Bloc encompasses the USSR, Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, and Uunutnia.

The semiautomatic network, as approved, will encompass the following;

Both direct and alternato routing will be employed. 5/

Flexible switching between transit centers will be avail-

able. 6/

ell direct routes an allowance ofercent additional

capacity win be made available5 percent for alternate routingercent for emergency routing,-j/

Preselection of alternate routes will be established. 8/

channel carrier-frequency equipment will be

utilized. 9j

of the International Telegraph and Telephone Con-

sultative Committee (CCm) and the International ELectro-technical Commission (lEC) will be

telephone exchange equipment will be employed.

The fully automatic network, to be completed in aboutears, will incorporate "contactless" (electronic) telephone exchanges utilizing high-frequency transistors and semiconductors in the then Problems In research end development, however, havear prevented the settingpecific date for the completion of the fully automutic network.

Transmission facilities to be employed In the network will include microwave radio relay, multiconductor and coaxial cable, and open wire Specifications for the use of particular facilities on specific routes are not now known.

The terminal cities in the network, the number of channels between terminals, and the routings involved are shown in the chart,chematic presentation showing the total number of channels between major Junction points ls given on the map.* The status of high-capacity telecommunications facilities In the USSB and theSatellites is shown on the naps.* In many cases the schematic routings shown inan be traced ir^re precisely by reference tond k. For the non-Bloc portion of the network, negotiations are still to be completed, lkj Tlse general routing ofoutside countries of the Soviet Bloc, therefore, ls only tentative.

* Following p.* Inside back cover.

i aii

Ul.!lll! luIIIIIIIIllllllll

When completed, the planned semiautomatic and later fully automatic telephone network win Improve substantially the exchange of telephone traffic among countries of the Soviet Bloc and between these countries and the other areas of Europe. Furthermore, the transmission facilities that this network vlll use provide substantially more capacity on many routes than that needed strictly for international telephone service. Ihis additional capacity probably will be used for International telegraph* and other teleccraoinicatlone services as well as for domestic service.

II. International Radiobroadcasting and Television Organization (OIBT)

The OIET is an organization dominated by the Soviet Bloc that effects cooperation among the Bloc and some non-Bloc member countries in the field of radiobroodcaeting and television.** An outgrowth of the International Broadcasting Organizationhe OTRT considers problems of common concern to its members and sponsors cooperative action for their solution. Through its technical, program, and television commissions It recommends operating standards and procedures. It also encourages the exchange of information among member countries. The OTRT cooperates with theTelecommunication Unionhe EBU; the United NationsScientific, and Cultural Organizationnd theFilm and Television/

One of the most important actions taken by the OTRT thus far has been the approval in0 of the establishmentloc-videnetwork to bo known as "Intervision." Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Poland, and Hungary were the initial members of Intervision, followed shortly thereafter by the USSR. Bulgaria and Rumania are expected to Join sometimend lt is anticipated that the Far Eastern members of OTRT will eventually participate in Intervision. It has been thesince the beginning that Intervision would exchange liveprograms with Eurovision, the Western European television network sponsored by the EBU. Although moreive programs have been exchanged between the two networks sincehe majority have involved only Czechoslovakia and East Germany on the OIET side. The growth of television transmitters and receivers in OTRT member countries during thes summarized in the chart.

* As many asixty-word-per-minute teletype channels cun be derivedelephone channel.

** Finland, Iraq, Egyptuba, and Mali ore the non-Bloc members of the OIRT.

*** The OIR was originally formed6 andembership ofuropean countries. As the USSR and other member countries from the Bloc began to use the organization for political purposes, however, all non-Bloc countries except Finland withdrew and formed the EuropeanUnion Following

Two factors have limited the scope of Intervision to datetheslow development of television in the more underdeveloped countries of the Bloc and the limited transmission facilities available forlive programs across national borders. Although intra-Bloc andmicrowave radio relay and coaxial cable facilities capable of carrying television programs are now being introduced, it will be some years, probably notefore planned networks will-becompleted to enable the full interchange of television programs among all OIRT member countries and between all OUTT and KBU members.

HI. Implications

The basic report to which this reportupplement treated in eooe detail the rather ambitious plane of the Soviet Bloc to build integrated networks of telecommunications duringeriod. These networks, employing modern technologies, are intended to carry telephone, telegraph, television, and newer services such as data signals. The Intra-Blocadditionally, are intended to interconnect with similar facilities in adjacent countries, especially ln Western Europe. To achieve this end in the easiest manner, the technical parameters of the network adhere to international. (iTU/CCITx) standards.

There are clear indications that these plans arc in fact being. The intra-Bloc semiautomatic telephone network now being built probably will be completedU. At the same time, the Intervision television network is being extended section by section. The evidence also is clear that when the transmiBeion lines for these networks are built, facilities will be included for International connections aa well.

It is concluded froa this performance that the Bloc was indeed serious in intention when it formulated these ambitious plans. The intra-Bloc facilities certainly will aid in the achievement of tighter cohesionthe countries of the Bloc in the conduct of their mutual affairs. The provision of international connections to these facilities seeas to show patently that the Bloc expects to increase its communications with the outside world, especially Western Europe.

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APPENDIX C

SOURCE RE>KtE?iCES

Evaluations, following the classification entry and designatedave the following significance:

Source of

Doc.onfirmed by other sources

ompletely- Probably true

sually- Possibly true

airly- Doubtful

ot usually- Probably false

ot- Cannot be judged

annot be Judged

"Documentary" refers to original documents of foreign governments and organizations; copies or translations of such documentstaff officer; or information extracted from such documentstuff officer all or which may carry the field evaluation "Documentary."

Evaluation not otherwise designated are those appearing on the cited document; those designated "RR" are by the author of this report. No RR evaluation is given when the author agrees with the evaluation on the cited document.

Except for CIA finished intelligence, all

j m Coordinating Mechanism for Post

and_TeIecommunications in the Sino-SovleTBloc

2. CIA. epu. . 5. S.

U. CIA. FDDEconomic Report on Eastern

Europe, ah Oct 6l, OFF

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CS,ep 6l, p.. 8.

S.

CIA. CS,. Itf. 8.

..

CS,ep 6l, 8.

Journal,oug 6l,. D,

Ibid.

CIA. CS, S.

Original document.

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