The end of the Minitel in 2011? No, in 2012

We saw a few days ago an alarming report on a large chain of television: the network Transpac of France Telecom is announced as to close in September 2011, without a real solution to replace. As Transpac is used for the Minitel, still used, this new course raised an "outcry". Yet... it is false.

In fact, Transpac will be closed in June 2012 and not in September 2011. Closure in 2011 has in fact been announced via a press release in January 2010 but it was postponed to June 2012 a little later, without the France Telecom communicates too much. Conditions of uses of Télétel - used for the Minitel network - are quite clear on this point: the version of May 2011 indicates a final closure on 30 June 2012 then the opening of new services will be available until February 29, 2012. Persons still dependent of the Minitel and the X.25 more generally have about a year to find a replacement solution.

Transpac is the name of the X.25 of France Telecom network, the largest of the world, and it is still active. It uses technology, X.25, a communication protocol that works by package. X.25 has been standardized in 1976 and has been used in France to essentially two things: the Minitel, the network Télétel, and some banking exchanges with ETEBAC (Exchange telematics bank customers). The judgment of the Transpac network will therefore involve the closure of the network Télétel, used as the basis for communications on the Minitel, and ETEBAC. For the latter is not a real problem, systems based on a connection to the Internet as simple and as complete (see), for the Minitel, if more embarrassing. Indeed, some services do exist on the Minitel or offer more options on the latter.

In June 2012, after the SECAM, this will be another "glory" of the French technology that will disappear. Remains to be seen if France Telecom will really close Transpac in 2012: it is quite possible that an extension of the lifetime of the service (launched 1978) to be announced in the future.

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Minitel: died progammée at September 30, 2012

June 30, 2012, the Minitel will make his last breath. After 30 years of service, the French ancestor of the Internet has an appointment with history.In its golden age, the Minitel will together 9 million users and generated one billion euros of revenue. In 2007, it was still 100 million euros and two million people used it again in 2010. The year 2011, EUR 200 000 will be still hosted with the Minitel. Of course, today, physical fitness is is more preferred. Half of the faithful of this service is now accessed via a computer.Scheduled for 2010, and then for September 2011, the closure of the Minitel be finally held on September 20, 2012. "Even if the Minitel is still of net sales, use and trafficking are net decay." "It leads to a natural death", said France Telecom to AFP. Between 2007 and 2011, the turnover of the Minitel has dropped from 99.8%.

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The Minitel (still alive) reports still 200,000 euros

The French ancestor of the Internet, understand the Minitel, generates more 200,000 euros of turnover on 2011. A result that still grant him a stay of one year.

Although it is less and less used, this system of remote connection is still verbose. A year ago, it learned that two million French still used the Minitel. However, when one speaks of Minitel, is the service that is called and the device. Thus, half of the faithful of the Minitel consult from a computer. Despite a still satisfactory result, it is in free fall. Turnover in 2007 EUR 100 million, it fell to 200,000 euros, representing a decrease of 99.8% in four years.

France Telecom was first programmed closed for 2010. The date was then postponed to September 2011. Today, we learn that the definitive closure of the ancestor of the Internet is still off. It should be effective on June 30, 2012.

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