By the way, why is Free called Free? – Tech

Free celebrated its twentieth anniversary in 2019. Xavier Niel’s business revolutionized the mobile world with its low-cost plans in 2012. Before that, the release of its Freebox changed the game. But, by the way, why this name?

Fiber optics, 4G, 5G … Free has big ambitions for the coming years. Since its creation in 1999 by Xavier Niel, the company (subsidiary of the telecommunications group Iliad) has evolved well. The Internet service provider turned the mobile world upside down by landing in 2012 with two low-cost plans, forcing other operators to cut their prices.

Besides, where does the name Free come from? If the interpretation of the name, which means “free” or “free” in English, leaves little room for doubt, there is also an anecdote hidden behind this choice. ” The name of Free came from a Minitel code, 36 15 Free. When the offer with free Internet access was launched in 1999, the name was kept “Tells the press service of the Iliad group to Numerama.

” Back then, we paid subscriptions. This name made it possible to emphasize the fact that Free offered free Internet access, and that only communications were chargeable. The name of the Free brand thus corresponded to the spirit of the offer “Summarizes the press service of the Iliad group.

How did the Minitel work?

Released in 1980, the Minitel (“Interactive medium by digitizing telephone information”) enabled connection to the Télétel computer network. To access the network, you had to dial a specific number, such as “36 13”, “36 14” or “36 15”, as well as a code formed by letters allowing access to the desired service (for example, “36 15 ANNU ”allowed to obtain a reverse directory, created by Xavier Niel).

What was the 36 15 Free code for? According to a decree of January 1992, the service to which this code referred was classified as ” information service or interactive pornographic service ” Xavier Niel is known for creating pink Minitel services in the 1980s, which enabled him to become a millionaire at the age of 24.

In 1990 Xavier Niel bought Fermic Multimédias, a pink Minitel service editor. He then changed his name to Iliad. The “36 17 ANNU” service was one of the products launched by Iliad. In 1999, Xavier Niel developed the Internet access offer he called Free. The Freebox, which passed the telephony and television offerings on the same line (a first), followed in 2002.