News

Abstract

The launch of both Euronet and the British Post Office two‐way data service to the US has been delayed. Due to become operational in December 1978, Euronet is now unlikely to be open until June 1979. As reported in the March 1978 issue of Online Review, Euronet — the European data transmission network was due to interconnect customers through packet switching exchanges in London, Frankfurt, Paris and Rome and remote access points in Amsterdam, Brussels, Copenhagen, Dublin and Luxembourg. The network is based on technology developed for the French Transpac domestic network and it seems that delays in starting up Transpac are the major cause for postponing Euronet until next year. However, arrangements with host computers are progressing ‘very satisfactorily’ according to Dr. Georges Anderla, Director for Information Management, in Luxembourg. Five hosts — Blaise (London), Corte di Cassazione (Rome), CTI (Ministry of Economic Affairs, Brussels), FIZ4 (Karlsruhe) and Infoline (London) — have signed statements regarding their connections to the network . Another 15 are still due to sign and Dr. Anderla seemed to welcome the delay by stating that “…the extended pre‐launch planning period gives us the opportunity to introduce the facility with a broader range of host and databases and a greater number of users than would otherwise have been the case.” Meanwhile both Switzerland and Spain — two non‐European Community countries — have made formal application to join Euronet.

Citation

(1978), "News", Online Review, Vol. 2 No. 3, pp. 205-216. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb023974