The Internet Transition: From Resistance to Embrace

France's initial internet skepticism had multiple sources. Language concerns were paramount—would French culture survive in an anglophone digital world? The Minitel's centralized model, with government oversight and revenue sharing, seemed superior to the internet's anarchic structure. Security worries about American dominance of internet infrastructure resonated with Gaullist desires for independence.

The transition, when it came, was rapid and traumatic. Young French users, exposed to the global internet through universities and travel, demanded access. Entrepreneurs who had thrived on Minitel saw opportunities in the borderless web. The government, recognizing inevitability, launched ambitious programs to bring France online.

Wanadoo, France Télécom's internet service provider launched in 1996, became Europe's largest ISP within five years. The approach was distinctly French—bundled services, emphasis on French-language content, and integration with existing telecommunications infrastructure. The strategy worked: by 2000, French internet penetration matched other European countries.

But the real innovation came from unexpected sources. Free, founded by Xavier Niel in 1999, revolutionized French internet access. Its Freebox, launched in 2002, was the world's first triple-play modem, combining internet, telephone, and television in one device. The disruptive pricing—€29.99 for unlimited everything—forced incumbents to adapt and gave France some of Europe's most competitive broadband markets.