>>512927099
>a smart idea for all countrys to essentially have their own internet
France actually did.
It was called Minitel, and required special terminals to access, but iirc you just plugged it on your phone line and there was no need for a subscription.
As a kid, not sure if it was actually useful for much stuff.
Ton of billboard advertising pay sex stuff for it on the roads tho ("3615 Ulla" was fucking everywhere for as long as I remember).

It died when 56k modems became mainstream here.