DATAPAC

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DATAPAC was Canada's packet switched X.25-equivalent data network. Initial work started in 1972 and was announced by Bell Canada in 1974. It opened for use in 1976 as the world's first public nationwide network based on X.25.[1][a]

Operated first by Trans-Canada Telephone System,[2] then Telecom Canada, then the Stentor Alliance, it finally reverted to Bell Canada when the Stentor Alliance was dissolved.[3] Like most X.25 networks in the western world, DATAPAC services were largely replaced by TCP/IP in the 1990s and 2000s. Bell phased out the service in 2009.

Use[]

One of the uses of DATAPAC network was to transmit debit card transactions between retailers and the financial institutions (banks) through the Interac Direct Payment EFTPOS network. Some automatic teller machines also used the DATAPAC network.[4]

It was also used to transmit lottery ticket numbers that are purchased by customers.

Types of connections[]

  • DATAPAC 3101 Teletype (ASCII) connections, both dial and leased.
  • DATAPAC 3201 connections were made by using leased line connections in a speciality financial industry code.
  • DATAPAC 3000 X.25 connections

Future use[]

With the advent of lower-cost WAN technologies like IP/MPLS, the importance of DATAPAC diminished in the marketplace. Bell phased out support for DATAPAC, discontinuing the service at the end of 2009.[5]

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Telenet opened in 1975, but was based on proprietary protocols.

References[]

Citations[]

  1. ^ Rybczynski 2009, p. 26.
  2. ^ Planning an Evolution: The Story of the Canadian Payments Association, 1980-2002
  3. ^ "Bell acquiring" (PDF). health.gov. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  4. ^ "Calypso Canada speeds ahead with INETCO CashGate". INETCO. 2006. Archived from the original on 2007-09-29.
  5. ^ "Phasing out" (PDF). Chargen.ca. Retrieved 23 July 2018.

Bibliography[]

External links[]

  • [1] : Canadian Banknote Company: An example of a Datapac 3201 modem produced by CBC's WANN Connection Devices division.
  • [2] - Phrack Magazine: A discussion about the DATAPAC network
  • [3] - Another discussion about the DATAPAC network
  • "The Canadian Point of Sales (POS) Market" (PDF). Eicon. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-10-31. Retrieved 2009-12-31. - conversion equipment for Datapac 3101 and 3201 hardware
  • [4] - : Another DATAPAC conversion box
  • [5] - SANS Institute: Security considerations for using networks like Datapac
  • [6] - University of Waterloo: How DATAPAC was used in the university setting
  • [7] - Comments about using DATAPAC to access Compuserve circa late-1980s
  • [8] - Evidence of DATAPAC usage as late as 2011/2012
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