CABLE IN FRANCE

SOME DATES

1881 Clement Ader (4-2-1841/5-3-1926) lance in Paris the "théâtrophone" (telephone network connecting of the theatres to the subscribers of the telephone). 1922 formulate used to diffuse the programs of Radio-Paris; 1944 appear in the USA. 1945 the monopoly of the radiotelevision prohibits practically any private initiative of transmission of the images by wire. Some tolerated cases, examples: HLM of Top-of-Hare with Nancy (frontier network in the Willer-Thur in Alsace which diffuses 9 programs), Flaine (Hte-Savoy), Montigny-lès-Metz (the Moselle, 1970). 1972-2-3 creation of the SFT (French co. of cable television, subsidiary of TDF, mixed co., capital: 2 million F, financed for half by ORTF and postal and telecommunications authorities) which must make 7 experiments: Metz, Grenoble (in 1974), Creteil, Rennes, Chamonix, Nice and Cergy-Pontoise [ each one dominated by a certain type of use of the cable (teaching, municipal information, etc.) except in Rennes where the experiment revêt all aspects ]. 1977-28-9 decrees reaffirming the monopoly of TDF (heir to the ORTF) for the realization and the property of the cabled networks which must be exclusively reserved for the distribution of the national service of the radiotelevision diffused by hertzian way (and possibly with foreign programs on the site). 1982-29-7 law giving to the DGT (Directorate-General telecom.) the monopoly of the construction of the cabled networks. -3-11 launching of the plan cables which envisages 1 400 000 hearths equipped for 1986, then 1 million per annum; investments: 50 billion F in 20 years; networks with structure out of optical fibre star. The postal and telecommunications authorities undertake of the control of the work, the technical exploitation and are owners of the networks. The local communities create local co.s of commercial exploitation (Slec) gathering private or public people, in particular TDF, which will be responsible for the equipment and the exploitation of the network heads. These local co.s will call, for the programs, upon private and public producers (schedule of conditions to be respected). 1983-20-1: the 1st convention of the cabled cities, Télécâble 83. -19-12 mission cables created (Pt: Bernard Schreiner) to inform, coordinate the negotiations, to try out services "with added value", to follow the achievements. 1984-21-5 inauguration of optical fibre the experimental network of Biarritz and 1st Paris-Biarritz connection by videophone. Law of 1-8: the organizations charged to exploit the local services of radiotelevision per cable will have to be local co.s of mixed economy (mode of the law of the 7-7-1983). Is definite as local (exploitation authorized by the High Authority) the service whose network does not exceed 60 km and 2 departments. 1985 the 1st convention tallies with postal and telecommunications authorities Rennes 12-3, Paris 30-4, Montpellier 14-5. 1986-15-1 creation of Avica (Association of the cabled cities). -30-9 law "Communication and Freedom": the communes authorize the establishment of the networks (the postal and telecommunications authorities do not have any more the monopoly of their property) and propose with the CNCL the co. for an authorization of exploitation of the network. The CNCL fixes the technical specifications and obligations concerning the exploitation of the networks and programs distributed. The systematic wiring of the france is not considered any more (reasons: lack industrial control of optical fibre, and of capacity of financing on behalf of the State, administrative reserves of the DGT). -1-12: 1st plane network cables in exploitation in Paris. -24-12 Channel J, 1st chain set of themes of the cable, created. -31-12 stop of the negotiations between postal and telecommunications authorities, cities and operators for construction, within the framework of the plan cables of 1982, 52 networks, the others will be built within the competing framework defined by law of 30-9-1986. 1987-17-4 Mission Cables Created [ Pt: Michel Péricard (1929-99), appointed ]. -29-9 the general rules are fixed by decree. 1989 the Agency cable replaces the Mission cables, department of the legal and technical Service of information (SJTI). 1990-29-12 law modifying that of 30-9-1986: 1o) all the systems of cable television are assimilated to networks cabled and subjected to the same loads and obligations: authorization of establishment delivered by the commune, and of exploitation delivered by the SCA on proposal of the commune, since they serve more than 100 hearths or that they distribute services other than those normally received by hertzian way in the zone. 2o) the cities are charged to take care of the coherence of the whole of the infrastructures of cable television. All the networks are held to respect overall technical specifications definite by interministerial decree, the objective being to make possible the interconnection of the networks. 3o) Authorization of exploitation of the services delivered, on proposal of the communes, by the SCA: audio-visual communication; by the Minister for the postal and telecommunications authorities: services of telecom, others that those directly associated the cable television. 1992-31-3 agreement France Télécom/câble-operators (Lyons Communications, Communication-Development, General of Water) giving to the latter the control connection at the subscriber (lowers tariffs, improvement of the bouquet of programs). -13-7 law modifying that of 1986 and allowing the mayors: 1o) to institute a right of way of the cables and equipment in the common parts of the apartment buildings and the allotments; 2o) to refuse an authorization of community aerial for aesthetic reasons (in particular in Zac, operations of real restoration, sectors safeguarded and allotments). Community aerials (even higher than 100 hearths) which does not distribute that terrestrial chains hertzian normally received on the site can be exploited, under the mode of the simple declaration preliminary near the SCA and the prosecutor of Rép., by any legal entity. The organizations of HLM (public offices or co.s) can request an authorization of exploitation. The consultation of the residents of building for a connection with the urban cabled network is obligatory before deciding on an autonomous exploitation of the site of antenna of the building. - Dec. creation of Anoc (Association of the new operators of cabled networks). 1993-jan. France Telecom Cable takes again the exploitation of 10 sites, of which those out of optical fibres. 1994-1-2 law instituting a chronological order for the exploitation of films: 1o) payment with consumption and video-cassettes; 2o) chains with options; 3o) chains general practitioners. - Oct. creation of Apec (Association of Private European Cable Network Operators). 1995-25-1 "decree cables" fixing the mode of the chains of the cable (in particular armchair shopping). For the chains of cinema: possibility of programming 416 films/an, less time crenels of diffusion prohibited, possibility of making publicity for the cinema. - Févr. Communication Development, subsidiary of the Case of the deposits, yields its networks to France Telecom Câble, Lyonnaise Communications and TDF. Creation of Afco (Association france of the câblo-operators) gathering France Telecom, general Co of videocommunication, Lyons Communication and Anoc. creation 1996-January of the UTLC (Union of local televisions of the cable). -10-4 law relating to the experiments in the field of technologies and services of information. -26-7 law laying down the methods of exploitation of the services of telecom on cabled networks. - July in Mans, launching of Cybercâble, 1st commercial offer of access to Internet on the cable. - Dec. 1st networks cabled numerically until at the subscriber. 1997 Canal+ majority shareholder of the general Co of videocommunication which becomes NC NumériCâble. - Oct.. Access (Association of the chains of the cable and the satellite) created. - At the end of 10 cabled networks propose the access to Internet. 1998 France Telecom launches Modulo Cables, subscription to measure, and Cables Wanadoo, contractual and permanent access to the Internet high flow. - July NC NumériCâble signs an exclusive agreement of distribution with AOL. - Canal+ September opens the capital of NC NumériCâble to the co. Exante (37 %). 1999 NTL (English) repurchases networks 1G of France Telecom. UPC (amér.) present in France in Médiaréseaux repurchases Citéréseau and the Rhone Vision Cables, then Vidéopole and RCF. InterComm (American) enters to the capital of Cable Services of France and takes again Sudcâble Services, TME, Cité Interactive, First Cablevision. - fine September of the plan Cables: Lyons master key an agreement with France Telecom Cables to take again the networks of the Câble plan. - Oct.. NCNumériCâble/AOL launch services Internet high flow. - November Lyons Cables lance the "fixed price stars", subscription with television with the chart. - draft-agreement December between Canal+, Exante, and France Telecom on the cabled networks exploited by NC NumériCâble. 2000-February UPC and InterComm amalgamate in UPC France. - April Afco and Anoc amalgamate in Aform (French Association of the operators of networks multiservices). NC NumériCâble launches "the tele one to the chart". - May Lyons Cable becomes "Noos" and its service Cybercâble, Noosnet. - December Aform opens to the actors of the radio local loop. 2001-March NC NumériCâble/AOL propose coupled offer Internet high flow + numerical TV. - May Aform and operators of cable carry felt sorry for against the State before the European Commission for non-application of the Community rules and distortion of competition between cabled, satellite networks and networks télécoms. - Aform August alerts SCA on risks of jamming between the future frequencies of terrestrial numerical television and those used by the operators of the cable. - Oct.. 1st low offer flow unlimited (Noos). - Nov.. Noos leaves the Câble plan; NC NumériCâble launches new offer Internet high flow to Lyon, Toulouse and Nantes. - Déc. 15 million hab. has access to Internet high flow by the cable; the cabled cities represent more than 22 million hab. (more than one third of the population). 2002-jan. Aform requires withdrawal of the decree of the 31-1 (known as "must curry") which obliges networks cabled to transport the whole of the chains in light of the TNT. - Mars European directives on the electronic communications: envisage the harmonization legal of the audio-visual infrastructures and telecom. - April NC NumériCâble generalizes its offer of access Internet high flow independent of AOL, on all its networks proposing of services Internet (1 800 000 hearths). 2003-April the European Commission requests from France the equal treatment for the networks cabled in the supply of the services of telecommunication. - Dec. the French Parliament removes the ceiling limiting to 8 million hab. the basin of population maximum likely to be served by the same operator. 2004-March United GlobalCom (Liberty Media), owner of UPC France, announces the repurchase of Noos. - Noos April gives up the offer of television to the chart for an offer by bouquets. - July law Electronic Communications unifies the legal mode of the networks of télécoms and the cable. - Nov.. Numéricâble launches 1st offer Internet to 20 Mbit/s for the private individuals. 2005-March melt of investment Cinven and the Altice câblo-operator becomes the majority shareholders (60 %) Ypso France, who repurchases and amalgamates the operators France Telecom Câble, Numéricâble (subsidiary company up to that point of Canal+ Group) and TDF Câble.