Wasn't most of the revenue earned from holiday commission (even in the Oracle days), selling cheap holidays abroad? That would explain why the UK could make it work and the US couldn't as the travel market is very different over there.
I don't have any clear figures but I'm aware that holiday commission was a significant earner for both Oracle and Teletext Ltd. The US travel market is something that I don't have much knowledge of so I can't make a comparison.
How did teletext services in other countries make their money?
Wasn't most of the revenue earned from holiday commission (even in the Oracle days), selling cheap holidays abroad? That would explain why the UK could make it work and the US couldn't as the travel market is very different over there.
I don't have any clear figures but I'm aware that holiday commission was a significant earner for both Oracle and Teletext Ltd. The US travel market is something that I don't have much knowledge of so I can't make a comparison.
How did teletext services in other countries make their money?
I don't think many were intended to make money, they were simply information platforms of their broadcasters (Like Ceefax was for the BBC).
And I assume the likes of Intelfax got a set amount from its contract for supplying ancillary services such as 4 Tel and the 600 services on ITV as I don't believe they carried advertising.
How exactly did the original proposal from the ITC for teletext work before they changed their plans to offer a teletext franchise?
I think the proposal was to allow private companies to use the lines in order to transmit data to their premises. For instance, bookmakers could broadcast odds to each betting shop. Supermarkets could send up to date pricing. That sort of thing.
I don't quite understand why they went down the route of campaigning for a franchise. After all, the legislation would have still allowed them to bid for the lines, and (as far as I know) it wouldn't have been a blind auction!
In the end some lines were sold off to a company called Data Broadcasting International, or DBI.
In the Oracle days there was a service called Televox which was a hybrid teletext/phone service. This used p700, you called a premium rate number and were given a 'time page' number to enter. Then you navigated using the phone keypad. If you were lucky you could grab other people's pages as they flashed last for everyone, though it didn't seem to be used much.
Wasn't there some data on BBC2's VBI carrying stolen credit card numbers?
In the end some lines were sold off to a company called Data Broadcasting International, or DBI.
In the Oracle days there was a service called Televox which was a hybrid teletext/phone service. This used p700, you called a premium rate number and were given a 'time page' number to enter. Then you navigated using the phone keypad. If you were lucky you could grab other people's pages as they flashed last for everyone, though it didn't seem to be used much.
Wasn't there some data on BBC2's VBI carrying stolen credit card numbers?
Yes, I think you're right. Many filling stations had some very professional looking TV aerial installs
In the end some lines were sold off to a company called Data Broadcasting International, or DBI.
In the Oracle days there was a service called Televox which was a hybrid teletext/phone service. This used p700, you called a premium rate number and were given a 'time page' number to enter. Then you navigated using the phone keypad. If you were lucky you could grab other people's pages as they flashed last for everyone, though it didn't seem to be used much.
Wasn't there some data on BBC2's VBI carrying stolen credit card numbers?
I was about to ask about that. Yeah, I remember Televox. Never used it myself as I was 7 or 8, but I remember you had to put a certain "time" in to get the menu. Otherwise you just saw random pages flashing. If you were quick you could hit HOLD but I don't remember much.
What was the whole Time Page thing? Some sort of Teletext alarm?
Televox ended up taking Oracle to court because they felt they were being charged too high to use the platform (and alleged Oracle were taking advantage of their commercial monopoly).