Imperial and International Communications
1928 The telegraph companies were faced with increasing competition from companies using radio communications, so the British government decided to merge the communications methods of the British Empire into one operating company, initially known as the Imperial and International Communications Ltd, which would carry out these operations. The operations that were merged included the Post Office's wireless stations and its two Anglo-Canadian cables (on a 25-year lease) as well the cable and wireless operations of Eastern Telegraph Co, Western Telegraph Co, Eastern Extension Co, the Pacific and European Co, and Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Co, and 8 others, as well as interests in 18 other companies in various parts of the world[1]. All of the shares in the new company would be held by the member companies.
1929 Public company formed: Cables and Wireless Ltd which would be the merger company, holding the interests in Eastern Telegraph Co, Western Telegraph Co, Eastern Extension Co and Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Co by exchange of shares in the merger company[2].
1932 The third AGM of Cables and Wireless Ltd was told the company had 3 main sources of revenue[3]:
- From the telegraph and telephone traffic of Imperial and International Communications Ltd
- Profits from the manufacturing business of Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Co
- Dividends received from investments in cable companies
1934 Name changed to Cable and Wireless Limited .
See Cable and Wireless for the later developments