Alex was an interactive videotex information service offered by Bell Canada in market research[1] from 1988 to 1990[2][3] and thence to the general public until 1994.

[5] The system operated in the same fashion as Minitel, whereby users connected to various content providers over the X.25 network and thus access was normally through a local telephone number.

[7] The motivation to develop the Alex terminal and online service came from competitive pressure from France's Minitel, which had expanded into the Quebec market[8] in April 1988.

[9] Bell Canada quickly organized their own version and received approval from the CRTC to offer the online service as of November 1988.

Graham, then Director of Business Planning for Bell Advanced Communications, stated that "Quite simply, the ALEX network is not the right vehicle, nor the appropriate technology, at this time to deliver the information goods needed in our fast-paced society."