| 12 replaced by a 118 xxx Number The French market for Directory Assistance starts to be liberalised in different steps. Directory Assistance via Phone: Following a 1997 directive from ECTRA (European Committee for Telecommunications Regulatory Affairs) requesting from all EU countries to open their market, Scoot is the first company in 2001 to launch alternative "Renseignements Telephoniques" under the number 3200. 2002 a law suit is filed against France Telecom to abandon their popular number 12 which results in the 2005 repacement by a new 118 xxx number operated by multible companies. 118 was choosen in an effort of standardisation, as Germany and other European countries were already using 118 for directory assistance (not 411 like Canada or the US). |
| 2004 Pages Jaunes SA goes public for a second time
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| 2005 Attribution of new 118 xxx numbers 2005 July 6 ARCEP (ex Art Autorite de Regularisation des Telecommunications) attributes different 118 numbers. Each of the 27 candidats for directory assistance can chose his favorite number which is allocated by chance. The most easy to remember 118 118 is retained in order not to privilege one single operator. France Telecom selects 118 712, because 712 was laready used from mobile phones. The representative from another major phone company makes a mistake and by error he choses the wrong number, .... which cost him his job a day later. The new Renseignements Telephoniques start operating 2005 November 2. |
2006 new Commercials Many consumers, in particular older ones, are confused by the quantity of 118 xxx numbers - promoted with never ending radio and tv ads. Some regret 12 they had been used to for so long. And which last not least was known for good quality. The usage of the Renseignements Telephoniques Services via operator decline ... more and more people use the Renseignements Telephoniques via Internet |
pub 118712 |
pub 118700 |
pub 118008 |
pub 118218 |
| 2006 France Telecom sells remaining stock to KKR, an American Investment Firm
2006 France Telecom sells it´s remaining stock to the American Investment Firm KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co), a company which previously owned and later sold the Yellowpages in Canada, Yellowpages.ca / Pagesjaunes.ca. But KKR is not really a phone company the also owns supermarkets in the US, banks in china or breweries in South Korea. The majority of the former partly French State state owned ODA / Pages Jaunes suddenly become part of a private investment portfolio. |
| 2007 France Telecom launches 118712.fr a new Directory France Telecom, the former owner of ODA / Pages Jaunes SA
2007 March 29 France Telecom relaunches a new French Internet directory under the address 118712.fr |
