HOW THE TALK OF THE TOWN GOT THROUGH

TECHNOLOGY PROVIDED COMMUNICATION LINK

It's hard to imagine how George Washington made it through his inauguration 200 years ago without the benefit of a single telephone, radio or television camera. Very hard to imagine, considering how many were around yesterday.

The air between the Capitol and the White House practically glowed with electrical energy as radio waves conveyed Secret Service reports, instructions for photographers, gab from stretch limos, marching orders for floats in the big parade. Beneath Pennsylvania Avenue, specially laid cables carried telephone conversations, computer data and television images.

On a crowded platform below the Capitol podium from which George Bush began his address to the nation just after noon, portable telephones and two-way radios were standard equipment. Reporters, TV technicians, inaugural committee staff members and security officers talked constantly into them as the ceremonies unfolded.

Technical preparations for yesterday were easier than might be expected. "Washington's prewired," said Herb Linnen, a spokesman for American Telephone & Telegraph Co.

Special transmission cables were laid under Lafayette Square and along Pennsylvania Avenue years ago and were left there, with the reasoning that they would be needed at least once every four years. And news organizations large and small have bureaus and transmission facilities in place here.

In connection with yesterday's festivities, C&P Telephone Co. activated about 100 video circuits and 190 circuits capable of carrying high-quality voice signal used in commercial radio transmission. About 2,700 new lines to carry ordinary telephone conversations and computer data were installed at such places as the inaugural headquarters and press centers.

Nonetheless, many people were fearful of being caught without a phone, so they turned to local dealers for rentals of wireless equipment. "Everybody wants something, either a {cellular} phone or radio," said Terry Zaccarino, president of Communications Electronics of Virginia, a McLean-based firm that rented out about 75 two-way radios.

Hundreds of extra cellular phones were on the city's streets yesterday, channeling calls from government officials, reporters and corporate merrymakers. Users generally reported smooth service, despite fears that the increase in the number of calls would overload the radio-based systems and block messages.

Bell Atlantic Mobile Systems, one of two companies that provides mobile phone service in the Washington area, said the number of calls in the downtown area peaked Thursday. Each of three electronic "cells" that serve that sector rose from 2,300 calls per cell per hour usually found during peak periods to about 3,500 Wednesday and Thursday.

Spokeswoman Karen Ann Kurlander said that about 90 percent of the additional 1,200 calls got through on the first try. In anticipation of the ceremonies, the company had accelerated a program to expand the capacity of its system, moving up the completion date from April, Kurlander said.

Yesterday, calling was on a more normal level, apparently because the holiday meant much of the regular business calling in the area was not occurring.

Cellular One, the other company operating here, said calls from cellular phones brought to Washington from out of town had risen by about 30 percent, apparently reflecting recent days' influx of limousines from other states, each one equipped with a mobile phone. Cellular One also reported few disruptions in service.

Washington was full of TV crews as well, keeping satellite companies busy. Communications Satellite Corp. of Washington has handled about 50 to 60 hours of extra transmission time in recent days, in addition to transmitting material for many of its approximately 20 clients that maintain full-time video circuits.

GTE Spacenet of McLean handled about 80 video transmissions of inaugural activities. Its satellites were used by 22 dish-equipped trucks that were on the streets.

Not to be outdone in technology by the news media, the inaugural committee harnessed computer networks for the first time. Thirty-six NCR Corp. personal computers, 18 NCR laser printers and 16 facsimile machines were being used in committee offices for coordination and souvenir sales. Many of the machines were linked by a network provided by the California firm SynOptics Communications Inc.

Washington Post staff writer Sandra G. Boodman contributed to this report.

Articles appear as they were originally printed in The Washington Post and may not include subsequent corrections.