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Back in the late 90s when digital TV was being rolled out, RTÉ in Ireland developed a technology called WiNDS. You won't find much technical information about it online because it never moved beyond the prototype phase. WiNDS provided a return path for ordering PPV events and other interactivity by embedding a GSM data modem in your set top box. It would transmit back to base using your regular TV antenna.



Satellite boxes would have plugin modems for this.

Sometimes they’d give you a bit of credit, but others wouldn’t activate the program unless you phoned home.




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