Effective Sept. 30, the Alaska Communications Homer store at the corner of Greatland Street and the Sterling Highway will close.
Customers will still be able to get wireless service and wireless products just at they had at the Homer store through Horizon Satellite on Heath Street, an authorized Alaska Communications reseller and agent, said Alaska Communications spokesperson Hannah Blankenship.
“We’re going to concentrate on our agent location in Homer,” she said in explaining the closure. “We have an agent location in Homer that our customers already know and frequent, and we’re gong to concentrate on that location.”
Alaska Communications also is known as ACS or Alaska Communications Systems. It offers wireless or cell phone service, Internet service and landline phone service for private and business customers. It’s also a broadband solutions company.
Customers also will be able to sign up for new service at Horizon Satellite. Bills can be paid by cash or check at First National Bank Alaska on Heath Street, or by phone or online at 800-808-8083 or www.alaskacommunications.com/accountview. For customer service, people can call the same number or visit www.alaska.communications.com. There also is a “click to chat” feature online.
The person taking phone calls or communicating through the Alaska Communications web chat feature may be one of the same two employees now working at the Homer store. Those two workers will not lose their jobs and will work remotely through the Alaska Communications contact center — its name for the phone and web service.
“We’re very pleased to retain both employees,” Blankenship said.
Local Alaska Communications service technicians will remain in Homer and their jobs will not be affected by the closure of the Homer store. Business customers will get support through business sales and service representatives.
Alaska Communications built and opened the Homer store in November 2008. The building includes the landing station for the Alaska-Oregon Network, or AKORN, a fiber optic cable system between Florence, Ore., and Homer that can carry 2.6 terabits of data. The landing station will remain and not be affected by the store closure.
Alaska Communications is still determining the possibilities of renting out the Homer store, but has not yet made a decision, Blankenship said.
Michael Armstrong can be reached at michael.armstrong@homernews.com.

Alaska Communications
Homer area customer service information
To sign up for new service:
Visit authorized reseller, Horizon Satellite, 3850 Heath St.,
9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday
Customer service:
Call 800-808-8083 or visit  
www.alaskacommunications.com
To make a payment:
Call 800-808-8083, visit
www.alaskacommunications.com/accountview or pay in person with cash or check at First National Bank Alaska location, 3655 Heath Street