In this paper the authors describe a study in progress by which it is intended to represent all the French local telephone networks by just a small number of typical cases. The objectives are firstly, to gain a better knowledge of the existing network and secondly, to be able to compare equipment policies by simulating the evolution of the sample networks. The representative areas were chosen by original data analysis methods (principal component analysis followed by classification and choice of samples). Detailed data appertaining to the sample areas were then collected. They give examples of overall statistical results extrapolated at national level and discuss the corresponding applications. Lastly, they consider further developments of the study.