Path: utzoo!mnetor!spectrix!yunexus!ists!mike
From: mike@ists (Mike Clarkson)
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Re: Help! I need information about France's MINITEL service
Message-ID: <157@ists>
Date: 7 Mar 88 06:48:41 GMT
References: <3549@killer.UUCP>
Organization: I.S.T.S.
Lines: 51
Keywords: MINITEL, BBS, networks, France, cost, information

In article <3549@killer.UUCP>, strianta@killer.UUCP (Spiros Trianta) writes:
> I am in desperate need of information regarding the French MINITEL system, 

Frances MINITEL is really quite a success story, and the main reason is
they let you have the terminals free.  The terminals are small cheap
combined ttys and phones.

Some things you have to understand about Europe though.  It's not like here
with regard to modems and PCs.  All modems are regulated and charged for
by the phone companies.  It's not like you can by one for 100 $ from Radio
Shack and you're home free.  Very few people have modems as you are charged
quite steeply for the priviledge of using one.  Also note that the modem 
standards differ from country to country.  Your French modem won't work
across the border in Germany, and besides it would be illegal.

> a. Cost. What does it cost to use the service thru a TTY or PC. 

The cost for the normal directory assistance type of service is free.
Other services charge your phone bill by the minute, much like the
900 numbers in the States, with part of the revenues going to the phone 
company, and part to the person who offers the service.  Last I heard,
over 40 % of the revenues generated for the phone company from Mintel
were from the Mintel Rose services - the porno lines!

> b. Availability. Is it available in all of France? any guestimate on number
>    of users? how about usage time? i.e. busyes, and the such.

It is available in all of France.  Except for Paris, France has stopped 
printing phone books - all directory assistance lookups are done through
Minitel.  You will often find public terminals in places like banks.

> c. Features. What does the service provide as standard and extra (i.e. 
>    charged additionally) services

The standard sevice is the whole service - a tty and a phone line.  You just
pay by the minute for information.

> d. Accessibility. What kind of software does one with a PC need to access it
>    (except of accessing it with the supplied terminal)

As mentioned above, Minitel access through PCs is rare or non-existent.

> e. Gateways to other networks

None that I know of.

-- 
Mike Clarkson						mike@ists.UUCP
Institute for Space and Terrestrial Science
York University, North York, Ontario,
CANADA M3J 1P3						(416) 736-5611