DATAPAC is Canada's packet switched X.25-equivalent data network. Operated first by Trans-Canada Telephone System^[1], then Telecom Canada, then the Stentor Alliance, it finally reverted to Bell Canada when the Stentor Alliance was dissolved.^[2]

Current use

One of the current uses of DATAPAC network is to transmit debit card transactions between retailers and the financial institutions (banks) through the Interac Direct Payment EFTPOS network. Some automatic teller machines also use the DATAPAC network.^[3]

It's 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 has diminished in the marketplace. Bell is in the process of phasing out support for DATAPAC.^[4]

See also

• Telenet
• Tymnet

References

1. ↑ Planning an Evolution: The Story of the Canadian Payments Association, 1980-2002
2. ↑ The Canadian Encyclopedia
3. ↑ INETCO
4. ↑ http://enterprise.bell.ca/en/resources/uploads/pdf/MPLS_EN.pdf

External links

• http://www.wann.com/products/cd/3201.html : Canadian Banknote Company: An example of a Datapac 3201 modem produced by CBC's WANN Connection Devices division.
• http://www.phrack.org/archives/44/P44-21 - Phrack Magazine: A discussion about the DATAPAC network
• http://www.hackcanada.com/canadian/hacking/dpacintr.txt - Another discussion about the DATAPAC network
• http://www.eicon.com/worldwide/products/EMG/docs/Flyer-EMGCanPOS_A4WEB.pdf - Eicon: Conversion equipment for Datapac 3101 and 3201 hardware
• http://www.precidia.com/products/ether3201.html - Precidia Technologies Inc.: Another DATAPAC conversion box
• http://www.sans.org/reading_room/whitepapers/threats/927.php - SANS Institute: Security considerations for using networks like Datapac
• http://ist.uwaterloo.ca/cn/Dialup/datapac.html - University of Waterloo: How DATAPAC was used in the university setting
• http://www.textfiles.com/history/chickenheadbbs.txt - Comments about using DATAPAC to access Compuserve circa late-1980s