# Micronet 800

Micronet 800 was a provider of information and communication services hosted on Prestel, a British videotex service, from 1983 to 1991. It targeted the UK home computer market and operated as an online, subscription-based magazine and database. Subscribers also received Log On, a print quarterly.
Micronet 800 offered computer-related news, reviews of hardware, software, and videogames, access to turn-based and real-time multiplayer games (MUDs), downloadable telesoftware, chatrooms and bulletin boards, business and personal finance advice, and email, telex, and other forms of messaging. In addition, a group, club, or individual could rent space on the database.
A subscriber connected to Micronet 800 via the Prestel network using an ordinary phoneline (typically at local call rates) and a microcomputer equipped with a modem. If their microcomputer had not been set up to access Micronet’s home page automatically, they entered *800# to do so.

## History
### Origin

Micronet 800 stemmed from the development by Bob Denton, in 1980 and 1981, of Electronic Insight, a features and price-comparison site on Prestel listing computers, calculators and other electronic and IT products. Its entry-point was page 800.
In 1982, Electronic Insight was acquired by Telemap, the videotex arm of EMAP (East Midland Allied Press), on the recommendation of Richard Hease, the owner of ECC Publications: EMAP had just bought several computer magazines from him.$^{:154}$
Telemap, formed in 1981, was at that time an information provider on Prestel. EMAP asked Hease to look into the future viability of Telemap's Prestel presence. In Hease's words, "I thought the only way Prestel was going to work was to make it possible to link micros into it and develop a database micro users would want."$^{:185}$ In autumn 1982, Hease and Denton negotiated a deal with British Telecom that provided substantial investment and positioned Micronet 800 as a key part of a new plan by Prestel for attracting residential users. The Department of Trade and Industry provided additional financial backing.$^{:185}$ The arrangement included the free installation for subscribers of a phone jack-socket in which to plug a modem.

### Development

Telemap was responsible for Micronet 800 and the editorial development of the site. Prism Microproducts, the distributor of Sinclair Computers in the UK, developed the modems needed to ensure that Micronet 800's pages could be accessed by a variety of home computers, including the Apple II, ZX81, BBC Micro, Dragon 32/64, IBM PC, PET, ZX Spectrum, Sinclair QL, Lynx, VIC-20, and Commodore 64.

### Telesoftware

Several formats for telesoftware downloadable from Prestel and Prestel-compatible videotex systems were trialled in the early 1980s. By the time Micronet 800 was launched in 1983, providers of programs on Prestel were using a protocol drawn up by the UK's Council for Educational Technology (CET) after consulting British Telecom, microcomputer manufacturers, users, and educational software agencies. In early 1991, Micronet issued FCET, a revised version of the CET format, that much decreased download times.
In return for a fee or royalties, Micronet 800 encouraged individuals, amateur computer groups and software companies to provide programs that could be stored on Micronet's 800 telesoftware database and downloaded by subscribers. About half the programs were free.

### Modems

Prism developed a range of modems – from a simple acoustic coupler to integrated network interface controllers – suitable for different makes of home computer. Their models included the VTX5000, the only modem custom-designed for the ZX Spectrum, and the more general-purpose Modem 1000 and Modem 2000.
From 1985, when Telemap realised that Prism was preoccupied with its Sinclair computer distribution agency and in marketing its own Wren microcomputer, prospective Micronet subscribers were sent a list of other modem suppliers. Prism went into receivership in 1985 and Telemap purchased their modem stock. In 1986, in a bid to increase take-up, Micronet 800 offered a free modem to new users subscribing for a year.

### Growth

In March 1983, at the launch of the service, the first subscriber was Jeremy Dredge, an estate agent. There were over 2000 subscriptions during the first two months of Micronet 800,$^{:187}$ rising to over 4000 by October.
Just over a year later, in November 1984, the figure had grown to more than 9000, with subscribers to Micronet accounting for nearly 60% of Prestel's residential users. The Micronet news editor stated that in December that year, 1.1 million accesses per week were made to the Micronet database. By January 1986, there were 18,000 subscribers,$^{:132}$ with 20,000 declared in an advertisement by Micronet published in July that same year.
Looking back some decades later, David Babsky, Micronet 800's founding editor, observed that:$^{:157}$
   What we found was that there was a high churn rate ... So we kept getting lots of new people, but at the same time about a third of the people we had disappeared.

### Incorporation in Prestel Microcomputing

In May 1984, as one of several specialised services launched on Prestel at the time, British Telecom set up Prestel Microcomputing. This incorporated services from Micronet 800 and the information providers Viewfax 258 (a magazine similar in scope to Micronet 800) and Clubspot 810 (run by ACC, the Association of Amateur Computer Clubs).

### Acquisition by British Telecom

In 1985, Bell Canada bought a 20% share in Telemap, and British Telecom acquired a 25% stake. British Telecom became the majority shareholder in 1987, initially managing the company as part of BT Spectrum, its Value Added Services Group, before transferring it to BT Prestel. In 1989, British Telecom acquired the entire company. It moved it to Dialcom House in Apsley, near Hemel Hempstead, and folded the business first into the Dialcom Group (along with BT Prestel and Telecom Gold), and then into BT Managed Network Services.

### Closure

British Telecom closed Micronet 800 on 31 October 1991. A letter to members stated that "With over 10,000 members, Micronet is easily the largest online service in the UK specialising in microcomputing. However, it is still not large enough to enable us to maintain a cost-effective service and provide the extra facilities requested by our customers." The figure of 10,000 was less than 10% of what was predicted shortly after launch. The letter included a free introductory membership to CompuServe, suggested as "[An] excellent alternative to the many products and services provided by Micronet."
Membership had decreased from a peak of around 20,000.$^{:145}$ The Guardian attributed the decline to the introduction in mid-1988 of an off-peak Prestel time-charge discouraging the use of the "Chatlines" service. The Times agreed, and also pointed to a steep rise in subscription charges, opining that "BT's failure to provide even this committed group with an economic ... service means that Prestel is destined ... for businesses."

## Services provided

Micronet 800 had an A–Z online index, published a directory in its Log On print magazine, and distributed a guide for users containing a London Tube-style map of the database.
Micronet 800 included:
* Chatlines: Users could post messages that other users could see and respond to. Celebrity Chatline was a weekly feature conceived by Publisher Ian Rock and implemented by Sid Smith in which a prominent person was interviewed by Micronet users whose questions appeared onscreen, with Micronet personnel usually typing the answers (if the 'celebrity' couldn't type or format the text themselves). Early 'celebrities' included Sir Clive Sinclair, Feargal Sharkey, Fatima Whitbread, Lord Cardigan, Cynthia Payne and Sir Terry Pratchett.
* Downloadable software: Micronet 800 implemented the CET specification that allowed 8 bit files to be transmitted over a 7 bit medium, with some basic error detection and error correction. Micro Arts, creators of computer art in text and graphic form, published articles and downloadable programs on Micronet 800 from 1985 onwards.
* Online games: The longest-running game on Micronet 800 was Starnet, a turn-based game, with players sending in moves that would be executed once a day. Micronet 800 also hosted Shades, one of the first real-time multiplayer games.
* Email: Each Prestel user had a unique Mailbox number, usually derived from the last nine digits of their phone number. This could be used to address and send messages to others on Prestel. Reportedly, Micronet 800 subscribers were particularly enthusiastic about the medium, sending twice as many Mailbox messages as regular Prestel users.
* Gallery: Conceived by Publisher Ian Rock, this was an area where users could post their own pages about anything they wished, subject to minor oversight for libel and obscenity.

## Personnel
### Management

    Richard Hease, co-founder 1982–1983 – Bob Denton, co-founder 1982–1983 – Tim Schoonmaker, managing director 1983–1986 – Ian Rock, publisher 1983–1986 – Tom Baird, British Telecom liaison – John Tomany, managing director 1987–1990 – Michael Weatherseed, general manager 1990–1991

### Editors

    David Babsky, founding editor – Simon D'Arcy (later publisher) – Sid Smith – Francis Jago – Paul Needs – Ian Burley – Barbara Conway

### Other editorial staff

    Ken Young, online journalist and roving reporter – Adam Denning, technical editor – David Rosenbaum, News and Musicnet editor – Chris Bourne, Sunday Xtra editor – Paul Vigay, Acorn editor – Chris Lewis, Sinclair editor – Ian Burley, Acorn editor, then News editor – Rupert Goodwins, editorial assistant – Afshin Rattansi, music and arts journalist – David Farmbrough, music journalist

### Production

    Robin Wilkinson, testing, sales and downloading – Val Burgess, telesoftware database manager – Mike Brown, technical director – Richard Tyner, software sales and acquisition – John Mason, software testing and pricing – John Prout, technical helpdesk – Denise Shemuel, editorial database manager – Colin Morgan – Roger Cracknell – Gary Smith – Robert O'Donnell – Patrick Reilly – Daemonn Brody – Denise Slater, graphic designer for downloadable software pages – Anna Smith, editorial graphic designer – Sharon Giles

### Marketing

    Ian Rock, marketing manager – Peter Probert, public relations manager – Phil Godsell, product manager – Lynne Thomas, exhibitions manager – Claire Walker, advertising and public relations executive – Lynne Bennett, marketing executive

### Other contributors

    Steve Gold – Robert Schifreen – David Janda – Richard Poynder, Bizznet editor
In the run-up to Micronet 800's launch in March 1983, staff worked out of EMAP's offices in Hatton Garden in London. Subsequently, editorial staff were based in London's Clerkenwell. Technical staff were first based in Peterborough.

### Quotes

"The thing that inspired me most was looking at the Gutenberg Bible, the first book to be printed using moveable type. Micronet is to communication in the 80s what that Bible was to the Middle Ages." – David Babsky (1984), Micronet 800 founding editor.$^{:70}$
"Long term, I see being able to program your computer with various names of journalists you particularly like, various sports that you have a habit of looking at, and being able to program your computer at 4 o'clock or 5 o'clock in the morning to log on to Prestel Micronet and then download very rapidly information which will then be printed out. So instead of sitting on the train in the morning with your Times, Guardian, Telegraph, or whatever, you will have a printout with all your favourite journalists, your sports pages, cartoons ... you can make up your own newspaper." – Simon D'Arcy (1986), Micronet 800 publisher.