It was the world's first and most successful mass-market online service prior to the World Wide Web. The service was initially launched on an experimental basis on 15 July in Saint-Malo and extended to other regions in autumn Videotex was a crucial element in the telecommunications sector of many industrialized countries, with numerous national post, telephone, and telegraph companies and commercial ventures launching pilot projects.
It was viewed as a major force in advancing towards an information society. The telephone company prioritized ease of use. The French government's decision to provide free Minitel terminals to every household was a key factor in the widespread adoption and success of Minitel. Additionally, an average of million francs was saved annually by printing fewer phone books. Beginning in May , 4, experimental terminals with a different design were distributed in Ille-et-Vilaine , and commercial service using Minitel terminals was launched in By the end of , there were , Minitel terminals in France.
It became highly successful in when the French government distributed free Minitel terminals to households. Minitel became a financial success for the PTT, as using the service cost the equivalent of 30 euro cent per minute.
By , games and electronic messaging accounted for 42 percent of Minitel traffic, [ 14 ] with messaging alone representing 17 percent of traffic by The platform became particularly popular among young people, who would engage in late-night sessions playing text-based online video games.
By early , 1. This expansion faced opposition from newspapers concerned about competition from an electronic network. In , Ouest-France expressed the concern that Minitel would "separate people from each other and endanger social relationships. By , three million terminals were installed, with , new units being added monthly.
