Circuit arrangement for telephone exchange systems having time staggered charge metering pulse frequencies

In a circuit arrangement for telecommunications exchanges in which trunk connections are established with the aid of a common control device via free connection lines which are combined in groups in response to a calling subscriber dialing a local code number and a subscriber number of a called subscriber, and in which charge metering pulses are produced by charge metering equipment for the calling subscriber in reponse to answer by the called subscriber and at a frequency which is reduced in accordance with criteria including distance, time of day and calendar date, the improvement comprising:

• first means responsive to a special, subscriber-dialed, code number preceeding the subscriber number to store a renunciation character;
• second means for selecting a free connection line from a group of connection lines which are simultaneously to be connected and responsive to stored renunciation characters to select free connection lines on a priority basis for those calling subscribers dialing a special code number only when charge metering reduction is in effect and to otherwise select lines on an equal priority basis;
• and third means responsive to a renunciation character and upon trunk line selection and completion of trunk line connection to provide a charge reduction signal to the charge metering equipment.