Le Minitel est un petit terminal    | The Minitel is a small terminal
informatique (clavier, ecran et     | (keyboard, display and modem) which
modem) qui est le pilier de l'offre | is the "major" of France Telecom's
telematique de France Telecom,      | (state monopol) telematic offer.
(monopole d'etat). Le Minitel n'est | The Minitel is not a network, but a
donc pas un reseau, mais un outil   | tool for connecting to some kind of
permettant de se connecter a cer-   | networks.
tains reseaux.                      |
                                    |
Il existe differents modeles de     | There are several kind of Minitels
Minitel. Le Minitel 1 est donne en  | around.  The Minitel 1 is given in
remplacement de l'annuaire papier,  | exchange of the paper phonebook, one
a raison de un Minitel par ligne    | Minitel per phone line.  There is just
telephonique. Mais il y a un hic:   | one major problem: they are no longer
il n'est plus fabrique et il est    | made and it is very difficult (but not
difficle d'en obtenir un.           | impossible) to get one.
                                    |
Le Minitel 2 est le modele d'entree | The Minitel 2 is the entry-level model
de gamme propose aux particuliers.  | which is proposed to indivuals.  It is
Il est loue en remplacement de      | rented 20 F per month in replacement of
l'annuaire papier a raison de 20 F  | the paper phone book.
par mois.                           |
                                    |
Des modeles plus evolues, tels le   | More evoluated models, like the Minitel
Minitel 12 sont proposes et permet- | 12 are available and allow to be used
tent de s'en servir comme telephone | as a phone and an electronic answering
et repondeur telematique.           | machine.
Le prix de location est bien entendu| The price of rental is of course
plus eleve.                         | higher.
                                    |
                                    |
Description technique du M2:        | Minitel 2 Technical data:

Modem V.23 (1200/75 bps), E71 integ-| Integrated V.23 (1200/75 bps) modem.
re. Affichage Videotex en 40 colon- | Videotex display in 40 columns and 8
nes et 8 couleurs (alpha-mosaique)  | colors (alpha-mosaic). 80 columns mode
et mode teleinformatique 80 colonnes| ("teleinformatique"). Uploadable fonts
Fontes de caracteres transferables  | (DRCS). Serial link with a micro
(DRCS). Transmission par voie serie | computer at up to 9600 bps.
entre un micro et le Minitel jusqu'a|
9600 bps.