TELETEXT AROUND THE WORLD
While the UK's Ceefax is the most famous, teletext technology spread across the globe. Each country adapted the concept to their own needs and style.
FRANCE: ANTIOPE
France developed ANTIOPE (Acquisition Numérique et Télévisualisation d'Images Organisées en Pages d'Écriture) in the 1970s. It evolved into the Minitel system, which was more advanced than teletext, offering interactive services like banking and messaging years before the web.
GERMANY: VIDEOTEXT
Germany's Videotext launched in 1980 and became incredibly popular. ARD and ZDF both ran services, and Germans embraced the technology enthusiastically. The service continued into the digital age.
NETHERLANDS: TELETEKST
Dutch Teletekst, run by NOS, was famously reliable and well-designed. It remained popular even as other countries abandoned analogue broadcasts, with the Dutch service continuing online.
AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND
Antipodean teletext services provided local news, weather, and TV listings. Australia's services were particularly useful given the vast distances and time zones across the country.
THE WORLD SYSTEM TELETEXT
Various standards existed: UK's Level 1, enhanced Level 2.5, and the more advanced Level 3. While Europe standardised on the ETSI specification, minor variations meant international compatibility was never quite perfect.