[[File:Minitel terminal.jpg|thumb|right|Minitel 1B]]
The Télétel (usually called Minitel, officially known as Télétel, 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. [https://fullempty.sh/posts/exeltel2.html Source]