Videotex was an early attempt at providing information services to consumers through television sets connected to telephone networks. Prestel was the UK's videotex service, launched in 1979 with high expectations of millions of subscribers but it only reached around 100k users. Minitel in France was far more successful, reaching tens of millions of users due to free terminals being provided and a wide range of private services. Differences in adoption between countries can be partly explained by differences in terminal design and provision, systems architecture, billing methods, and political/regulatory support. The rise of the World Wide Web in the 1990s drew users away from videotex services.

1. Service Innovation - Case Studies 1 - Videotex Ian Miles [email_address] 

4. Trajectory of Hype Technology Trigger Peak of . Inflated .. Expectations Trough of Disillusionment Source: Gartner Group , who placed various Technologies on this Plateau of Productivity Slope of Enlightenment Time Hopes

5. Fax versus email - a Forecast of Business Communications Terminals (millions) 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 1978 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 source: Mackintosh report cited in the Economist 4/8/79 US fax Europe fax US email text US email graphics+ Europe email text Europe email graphics+

13. Teletext: a source of competition? Free; Broadcast services; bundled with TV (remote control taking off) & manufacturers enthused; not interactive but “feels so” in providing access to screens of remote information.

15. Many Other Countries introduced Videotex New service markets for PTOs Videotex: a new MASS market Support for consumer electronics/ telecomms/IT industries – and perhaps media and publishing Move into information society = better-informed, more competitive society – advanced services (for export?)

16. Videotex adoption France Germany UK 1999: France c10m; Germany - - - - and UK c0

17. Minitel try it at http://www.minitelfr.com/Uk/home/index.html

18. Minitel French videotex service Terminal provided free – payment hourly – critical mass – tens of millions of users by ‘90s; many purchases of superior terminals Much scope in system for private services to be plugged in; messagerie and minitel rose very popular, a cultural phenomenon

22. France – language barrier or Minitel competition? Data from EURESCOM surveys: see www.eurescom.de

23. Several US versions AT&T Sceptre videotex - terminal introduced in Miami, October 1983. Wireless keyboard, with modem attached to an ordinary TV - delivered news, weather, sports, stock reports, banking, shopping, email, etc. The Sceptre initially sold for $900 with a monthly fee of $12; the service plan was changed to $39.95 a month with free rental of the box. Marketed in about a dozen cities. Very low adoption rate. Withdrawn in 1986. http://www.cedmagic.com/history/sceptre.jpg

30. World Wide Web NUA’s "educated guess “ as to how many are online worldwide (May 2002): World Total - 580.78 m Africa - 6.31 m Asia/Pacific - 167.86 m Europe -185.83 m Middle East - 5.12 m Canada/USA - 182.67 m Latin America - 32.99 m Compiled by: Nua Internet Surveys Number of Web Hosts 

33. End of Presentation