Minitel
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The Télétel (usually called Minitel, named after the terminal) was a videotex online service accessible through telephone lines. Videotex is a modified interactive version of the Teletext protocol that existed in TV broadcast.
Launched commercially in 1982, it was the world's first and most successful mass-market online service prior to the World Wide Web.
Only the Minitel service, which used on-demand access through the telephone network, was commercially successful for a long time. Subscription-based services like Prestel (UK), Bildschirmtext (Germany), Videotel (Italy), Télidon (Canada), and Captain (Japan) failed commercially and were stopped soon after testing.
In the United States, there was a stalled attempt by USWest to bring this service to two test markets: Minneapolis and Omaha. Source
Amstrad CPC services
In the CPC era, multiple services existed to download games for the Amstrad CPC via Minitel, like 3615 AMSTRAD, 3615 AMCHARGE and 3615 MICROCHARGE.
Nowadays
The Minitel can still be used today to access your Amstrad news.
Links
- DarkArcade Minitel (FR) Videotex Amstrad news service
- Minimit To connect your Minitel to servers as the PSTN has been retired
- Je teste le Minimit Le Minitel en 2023, petit tour sur des Micro-serveurs Le Minitel en 2025 by Kaspius Le Vrai