The Daily Alaska empire., 1947-05-23
COLONEL FULLY
 ON INSPECTION OF A(S, ALASKA
Makes Announcements of Important Changes 10
 Be Made in System

w iAAS LII - StSih
 Gel. T. J. Fully, Commanding Officer of the Alaska Communica- tions System of the U. S. Army Signal Corps, now in Juneau on an inspection trip, said today that Alaskas commercial radio stations will soon be able to broadcast radio programs originating in the U. s. Col. Fully revealed that this new service is only one of the many modernization features being installed in ACS which is the only means of communication between the Territory and the States.
 Fully said that transmitting equipment has already been in stalled at Seattle and proposed rate structure have been submitted to Washington for approval for the transmission of radio broadcasts to Alaska radio stations. Final approval of rates are expected within the next few days. He said that as soon as adequate ire quencies are made available, ACS will be ready to begin sending ra- dio programs, originating in the U. s. for rebroadcast over local stations He said that the next step will be up to the radio sta tion operators to purchase the service for use in Alaska.
 William J. Wagner, President of the Alaska Broadcasting System, a recently formed three station Territorial network, is in New York this month negotiating with national radio network officials for the release of U, s. radio pro grams to Alaska. The Territorial network members are: KINY, Ju- neau; KTKN, Ketchikan and KFQD, Anchorage. A fourth sta tion at Fairbanks, owned by Wag- ner, is now under construction. ! Colonel Fully added that ACS is also studying plans for the broad casting of intra Alaska programs for the benefit of the entire Terri tory. This, he explained, may be developed at later date.
 1 In addition to this service, the ACS chief pointed to many other improvements and new services in- troduced by the System since the end of the war He said tests are now being made for establish ing land line telephone facilities to the U s. from Juneau via a submarine cable to Skagway and thence into Canada and over the Alcan Highway. He said that the tests are still in the exploratory stages and that their final out come depends considerably upon the ACS appropriations bill now pending in Congress.
 ' Col. Fully gave, as illustrations of ACS progress, rate reductions established in Alaska since July l, 1946 for general telegraph and telephone services and the intro- duction of various telephone cir cults between various points in the Territory. He also pointed to the setting up of special rates for such services as telephone con- ferences, customer participation service and radio broadcasting.
 By virtue of the customer par ticipation service, which assures it's users of a fast priority in the handling of it's messages, Col. Fully said that Airlines, in the Terri tory, are now using ACS for their administrative messages, instead of maintaining their own com- munications system, as was done before the war. This service, he explained, includes the installation of teletypes in the various offices of the companies using this method of communication. In addition to the airlines, Col. Fully said that most newspapers and radio stations have also installed teletype mach ines in their offices. This service has been in effect for one year on an experimental basis to insure fast service to these customers. .
 On the subject of rates, Col. Fully said that the present rate structure is result of three months study. He said that these rates compare favorably with rates elsewhere. He explained the linn itations of business to be gained in Alaska was taken into consid- eration before the rates were fin ally decided upon. Fully declar- ed that ACS is also expected to return to the Treasury consid-