Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!bloom-beacon!usc!pollux.usc.edu!papa
From: papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Minitel in US (Was Re: LA World of Commodore Show)
Keywords: naplps, minitel, alex
Message-ID: <17613@usc.edu>
Date: 5 Jun 89 01:58:35 GMT
References: <17361@usc.edu> <18770@cup.portal.com> <347@xdos.UUCP> <19011@cup.portal.com> <686@flatline.UUCP> <867@jolnet.ORPK.IL.US>
Sender: news@usc.edu
Reply-To: papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Felsina Software, Los Angeles, CA
Lines: 36

In article <867@jolnet.ORPK.IL.US> boucher@jolnet.UUCP (Marc Boucher) writes:
>In article <686@flatline.UUCP> erict@flatline.UUCP (J. Eric Townsend) writes:
>>U.S. Videotel and Southwestern Bell Telephone are in a joint venture
>>to bring Minitel to America under a new name.  They hope to have
>>60K subscribers in Houston w/in a year.  In Houston, you have
>>an option of using the Minitel terminal (for those people without
>>a computer -- a single tasking computer is like having no computer :-)
>>or getting software for your IBM or MacIntosh.
>
>	Are you sure that they are using Minitel technology? It's more likely
>that their Videotex system is NAPLPS based.

The fact that there are a variety of US networks that support the Minitel 
standard seems to be one very well kept secret :-)  Here is a short list:

Minitelnet 1-800-822-MNET allows access to the French information services 
using a Minitel terminal, an IBM PC, Max or Commmodore 64/128.

Aline (212)832-8311 [supports PCs, Minitel graphics with Commodore 64 only]

CTL Communications (212)979-8553 (supports Commodore Minitel emulator)

ECN - Entertainment & Consumer Network (818)242-1483 -- Job Search & electronic
publications.

Moreover, Southwestern Bell has started distributing portable Minitel terminals
whose rental cost is projected to be $10/month.

It is also well known (see full page ads in Wall Street Journal) that US West
is setting up its own Minitel-based network (we were asked to bid on it).

-- Marco Papa 'Doc'
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