13 Facts About Minitel

Minitel was a videotex online service accessible through telephone lines, and was the world's most successful online service prior to the World Wide Web.

The telephone company emphasized ease of use; one observer wrote that "the Minitel terminal requires slightly more training than a toaster to operate".

Development of Minitel spawned the creation of many start-up companies in a manner similar to the later dot-com bubble of World Wide Web-related companies.

In 1998, Minitel generated €832 million of revenue, of which €521 million was channelled by France Telecom to service providers.

Today the 3611 Minitel Directory is replaced by the online white or yellow pages.

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Minitel used computer terminals consisting of a text-only monochrome screen, a keyboard and a modem, packaged into a single tabletop unit.

Minitel used the existing Transpac network, but its popularity caused problems for the network's commercial users.

When connecting, the Minitel's integrated modem generally dialed a short code number connecting to a PAVI from the subscriber's analog telephone line.

Minitel used a half-duplex asymmetric data transmission via its modem.

Technically, Minitel refers to the terminals, while the network is known as Teletel.

Extent to which Minitel enhanced or hindered the development of the Internet in France is widely debated.

For example, in 1986, French university students coordinated a national strike using Minitel, demonstrating an early use of digital communication devices for participatory technopolitical ends.

However, France Telecom's focus on Minitel had little or no long-term effect on adoption or development of internet- and web-based companies in France; France ranks roughly equal to the US and Germany in the current penetration of high-speed internet in households.