Gulf Fax Service an Instant Hit

Grateful, sometimes tearful friends and relatives of troops stationed in the Persian Gulf took advantage Friday of a new AT&T; service allowing them to fax messages to their loved ones at no charge.

At midafternoon, about 3,000 people at 400 locations in the United States had used the service, called Desert Fax, AT&T; spokeswoman Daylanne Jackson said. The project will cost AT&T; more than $1 million.

“It’s so touching. As they’re faxing, tears come into their eyes. They’re putting in pictures of their kids, and the kids are drawing pictures that say, ‘To Daddy,’ ” said Elaine Diersing, manager of the AT&T; Phone Center at the Main Place Mall in Santa Ana.

The fax service allows letters to be delivered to troops up to a week sooner than the 10 to 12 days that normal mail takes, Diersing said. It will remain in operation indefinitely, enabling family and friends to send single-page messages from any of 29 locations in Southern California.