Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1926-09-09

E8e1as ana N Nu9 oNonAaG ana uAZA
period during which reduced rats
apply, are announced. By ths Moun
tain States Telephone and TeIegr@pl
Company. The changes are sfssssav'
on all calls from points in the Noun
tain ttates territory to points in kh,
territory Of any other ASSOCIATED
company. They are made, the com
pany states, for the benefit or useri
Of long distance service and to elm
mate service difficulties which the
present schedule has brought about
The net result Of the readjustmenl
in rates win be a saving to the tela-
phone users Of the country Of ap-
proximately three million dollars q
year. To points outside the territory
Of the Mountain States Company
and $50 miles or more distant the
rates are substantially reduced. Tha
greater the distance the greater tina
reduction. For example, from Helena
to Spokane the basic station-to-sta-
ton rate will be sl.50 instead Of
$1.SO; to Portland, s2.55 instead Of
$3.40; to Los Angeles, s4.15 instead
of $3.50; to Minneapolis, $4.s5 instend
of $6.05; to New York. $3.50 instead
Of $3.50. Long distance cables,
carrier systems, vacuum tube re-
peaters, loading coils and other inn
proved devices and methods result
ing from the continuous scientific re-
search ana development applied TO
the telephone industry, have effected
economies on the longer circuits, and
have a share in making these reduc-
tions possible. A few rates for dis
tances between "a and 11O miles viii
be adjusted to make the schedule
consistent throughout. but in these
cases the increase Of the basic sta
tion-to-station rate will be only five
cents.
One of the interesting changes
from the public's viewpoint is that bv
which one and half hours have bean
Reduced rates on station-to-station
added to the reduced rate period.
calls will begin at 7 p. m. instead Of
$50 p. m, as formerly. Between :
p. m. and $40 p. m. the discount will
be approximately 25 per cent Of the
station-to-station rates and from $3.50
p. m. to 4:S0 a. M, about so per cent
Of the days rates. These discounts
will apply where the day station-to-
station rate is 40 cents or more, with
the minimum reduced rate of 35
cents Because Of the unsatisfactory
service conditions which it brought
about, the existing midnight discount
is discontinued.
Lowest Rates at Eight-Thirty
Under the new schedule station-to-
station calls may be made at sub
stantial reductions as early as z D.
M, and persons wishing to take ad-
vantage of the lower rates Of the "a
hours may make their calls any time
after $3.50 p. m, Thus, although the
midnight discount is discontinued, the
onger reduced rate period and the
reductions applying to
'asic rates to distant points mean
hat this change will make little diff
'erence in the cost of night calls.
By this move the company expects j
o improve service by eliminating
at midnight which have
esulted in delays and put a heavy
'urdcn on its facilities and employees.
1t the more important centers It has
meant retaining a large force Of I
zoung women operators 10 care for II
sudden ad short-lived burst Of traf-
ic. Durig much Of the time the
perators kept on duty in anticipation {
4 this temporary rush have had 4
title to do, then a short period in 4
zhich they have been entirely to I
usy to give the best Of service, and '
that a sharp taperiug off q
i business at an early morning hour
men few Of the girls could returi e
\ their homes. =
With this condition growing more {
rOnouneed, the company has been
aeing a difficult and serious respon, Z
Ibility. It has become necessary to /
Iaintatn dormit0ries In the larger e
ssatxal offices IN which many oper. y
tors, required only Tor a ahort 4
sriod, have been housed for the resi- Il
the night. These hours of duty "
ave, Of course, been undesirable and b
ard to I'LL The spreading Of the y
ns distance traffic over the length \
ned reduced rate period win relieve a
lis affuat0n. 4
Reversal Privilege Extended q
Another change that will be vel 1
'med Is the extension Of the privi-
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