| Name | prototype Publiphone à Carte LG |
| Date | late 70s |
| Manufacturer | PTT |
Development of the Early Card Phones
| The page outlines the rapid evolution of card-based publiphone technologies in France from the late 1970s through to their eventual decline in the 2010s. It begins with early experiments in magnetic and holographic card systems, first trialled in Paris in 1978 and expanded in 1980 to locations such as Gare Montparnasse, ski resorts, and university campuses. These early systems aimed to eliminate the limitations of coin operation—particularly vandalism, theft, and the logistical burden of handling cash. However, despite some success, both magnetic and holographic card technologies were abandoned by 1987. Attention then shifted to smart cards (cartes à puce), following a 1981 national tender. Two main systems were developed by Flonic-Schlumberger and Crouzet (with Bull), leading to prototype deployments in 1983 and broader rollout from 1984. These cards, later known as Télécartes, stored prepaid credit in “Unités Télécom” (UT), which were progressively consumed during calls. The system included robust security features, such as authentication, fraud detection, and the ability to invalidate compromised cards. Télécartes were widely commercialised through post offices and retailers, with rapid growth—from 250,000 units in 1984 to tens of millions by the late 1980s. Over time, they evolved in format, pricing, and presentation, including the introduction of advertising cards and updated denominations. Despite their success, later changes such as expiry dates (from 2000) contributed to declining usage. Alongside prepaid cards, France also developed subscriber-linked telecom cards (Carte Télécommunications, later Carte France Télécom), which allowed calls to be billed directly to a user’s account. These introduced PIN security and expanded functionality, including stored numbers and usage restrictions. From the late 1980s, bank card payment (Carte Bleue) was also trialled and eventually generalised by the mid-1990s, enabling direct billing without prepaid credit. Ultimately, changing technology and declining demand led to the end of télécarte sales in 2014, marking the close of a 30-year era in French public telephony. |
| More info- https://www.publiphonie.fr/ |
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