Bell Canada Alex Videotex Service Officially Closing
Dave Leibold
controversial Alex videotex service.
From a check of the list of new and deleted services on Alex itself,
it appears no new services have been added since 1991, and services
were being deleted, at least as of last fall. It seemed the home
shopping and commerce offerings were few, and the chat/dating lines
plenty (the latter being done with less cost and more finesse on the
regional BBS scene). The most useful service left on Alex (IMO) is
the electronic white pages, complete with an automated long distance
call rate calculator.
The following eulogy just arrived in the mail:
[Bell Canada letter to Alex service customers follows ...]
T.E. Graham
T/Director - Business Planning,
Bell Advanced Communications
160 Elgin Street, Floor 12,
Ottawa, Ontario
K1G 3J4
April 29, 1994
Dear Customer,
Some five years ago, Bell Canada launched an innovative service that,
after its initial trial run, logged more than a million calls from
interested people like you. We then decided to go ahead and introduce
this exciting, new concept to enable customers to access home-based
interactive and transactional services. Though it was risky, we heard
your call and answered it. The ALEX service was born.
Our early success in Montreal eventually led us to expand into the
Toronto Market and become a leader in the Canadian videotex industry.
Although our role was primarily one of a carrier providing technical
support, we helped our Service Providers develop applications -- from
home shopping and personal banking to financial news and learning
programs -- in order to keep you on the leading edge of the
information explosion.
However, while the ALEX service continued to grow and attract
interest, the inconsistent rate of development of the videotex
industry coupled with Canada's declining economic fortune has made
the service difficult to justify. We are faced with having to
drastically cut our costs, yet have resisted laying off employees or
raising customer prices. So we have been forced to make a painful
decision and terminate the ALEX service.
This is a difficult decision, and one that must be weighed against
the reality of today's tough economic climate. Quite simply, the ALEX
network is not the right vehicle, nor the appropriate technology, at
this time to deliver the information goods needed in our fast-paced
society.
We filed on December 30th, 1993 for the de-tariffing of the ALEX
service with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications
Commission (CRTC), the federal telecommunications regulator. On April
18th we received their approval, and will discontinue the ALEX
service effective June 3rd, 1994. The ALEXtel terminal will also be
withdrawn from the marketplace and cease to be supported.
Bell has always tried to meet the needs of its business and residential
customers by offering the best and latest in communications technology.
We will keep trying to bring you innovative telecommunications products
and services that best fit your needs. As the pace of technology quickens
and opportunities begin to unfold, we will be there again ... listening.
We will also be ready to serve you, knowing full well that such advances
must be balanced by your wishes.
Thank you for doing business with Bell. If you have any questions
about this matter, please call 1 (800) 267-8480.
Sincerely,
T.E. Graham