Beltel

For the newspaper in Belfast, seeBelfast Telegraph.For the Belarusian national telecommunications company, seeBeltelecom.

Beltelwas the name andtrademarkused by theSouth AfricanDepartment of Posts and Telecommunications (laterTelkom) for itsVideotexsystem between the mid eighties and 1999.

The system used telephone lines andmodemsconnected topersonal computersor todumb terminalswhich had built in modems.

The system incorporated abilling systemwhich enabledinformation providersandservice providersto receive payment for information and services provided tousers.The billing system was capable of handling very small transactions, and referred to asMicro-billing.Today all of the functionality of the Beltel system, and more, is delivered by handheldmobile phonesorcellphonesandPDAswhich utilizemobile payment.

Booklets/Magazines: What is BELTEL? BELTEL user manual. (Setting up, Facilities, Passwords, Logging off, Mail, Commands) Videotex SA Beltel. (Various business services for its 14,000 users) (In 1990) BELTEL as a business tool The BELTEL post box. Telematics: (News, views, reviews and adverts) (Seasonal)

Beltel provided many online services such as: Debates, competitions, prizes. Banking: Allied Bank, First National Bank, Nedbank, Standard Bank, Trust bank, United Bank, Volkskas Bank

Credit Checking: National Credit Bureau

Message Handling: Beltel e-Mail, Interlink, Telkom 400

Agriculture Agritel Fresh Produce, Agritel Meat Service, Boere-Data, Mielieraad

Directories: INNOBEL, Electronic Yellow Pages

Entertainment: Bel-Base, Elmdene SA, Playworld, Times Media

Chatlines: FROGG, Intercom

News/Weather: Agritel, Bel-Base, Elmdene SA, Times Media

Classifieds: Bel-Base, CDS Classifieds, Junk Mail