Teletext service Aertel to switch off today

The beloved teletext service Aertel will go offline today after nearly 40 years on the air.

The service, which went online in October 1987, switched to a digital service in 2019, and provided updates on everything from breaking news, sports updates, reviews, weather information and perhaps most fondly remembered by the public, information on package holidays.

RTÉ said that the closure was “part of its ongoing and necessary evolution into a public service media organisation”.

They noted the availability of content provided by Aertel across television, radio and online services, as well as the rise of smart speakers.

RTÉ said that resources previously allocated to Aertel will now go towards improving online services.

They said that continuing the service was becoming “more difficult” as there was technology available to support it, and coincides with RTÉ also shutting down the longwave LW 252 which allowed listeners across Ireland and the UK to pick up RTÉ Radio 1.