[comp.dcom.telecom] Access to the 'BTX' System of West German Telco

"John R. Covert" <covert@covert.enet.dec.com> (04/09/90)

I'm certain that the German BTX system has an X.25 number, but the
number the moderator provided (26245621040000) is not the BTX system;
it is the Telebox Mail system (on which I have an account).  Telebox
Mail is a _completely_ separate system from BTX.

Remember that BTX, like all European videotex (not to be confused with
teletext or videotext) systems, does not speak normal ASCII.  It uses
the European CEPT graphics display language, usually built into
videotex-ready television sets.  Trying to talk to it without a
television set or other device containing a CEPT display translator is
doomed to failure.

Peter Dotzauer whetted our appetite with the statement that Minitel
can be accessed from the U.S.  Would he be willing to describe exactly
what's necessary to do so.


/john

P.S.: I'd like to ask the Moderator to please not refer to X.131
addresses on X.25 networks as "a network address on Telenet."  This
statement is the equivalent of saying that the telephone number
+44-71-246-5368 in London is a telephone number on US Sprint.  Telenet
is only one of several X.25 services in the U.S. providing access to
the worldwide X.25 network.  Neither X.131 addresses nor telephone
numbers outside the U.S. are "on Telenet" or "on US Sprint" anymore
than they are "on Tymnet" or "on AT&T."  They are, in fact, on some
local X.25 network or telephone network in the country in which they
are located.  Only numbers beginning with "3106" are "on Telenet."


[Moderator's Note: Mr. Dotzauer did indeed supply information on the
use of Minitel from within the United States. It is quite a lengthy
file and will be transmitted later this week.  PT]

strat@well.sf.ca.us (Bob Stratton) (04/12/90)

In article <6204@accuvax.nwu.edu> covert@covert.enet.dec.com (John R.
Covert) writes:


>P.S.: I'd like to ask the Moderator to please not refer to X.131
>addresses on X.25 networks as "a network address on Telenet." 

[excellent clarification deleted]

>Only numbers beginning with "3106" are "on Telenet."

Just a quick correction: The DNIC for Telenet is 3110, Tymnet's is 3106.


Bob Stratton        | UUCP: strat@cup.portal.com, strat@well.sf.ca.us
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