AUSTPAC was a public
X.25
X.25 is an ITU-T standard protocol suite for Packet switched network, packet-switched data communication in wide area network, wide area networks (WAN). It was originally defined by the CCITT, International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Co ...
network operated by
Telstra
Telstra Group Limited is an Australian telecommunications company that builds and operates telecommunications networks and markets related products and services. It is a member of the S&P/ASX 20 stock index, and is Australia's largest telecomm ...
. Started by Telecom Australia in 1982, AUSTPAC was Australia's first public
packet-switched data network
In telecommunications, packet switching is a method of grouping Data (computing), data into short messages in fixed format, i.e. ''network packet, packets,'' that are transmitted over a digital Telecommunications network, network. Packets consi ...
, supporting applications such as
online betting, financial applications (the
Australian Taxation Office
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is an Australian statutory agency and the principal revenue collection body for the Australian Government. The ATO has responsibility for administering the Taxation in Australia, Australian federal taxation ...
has made use of AUSTPAC) and remote
terminal access to academic institutions, some of which maintained their connections to AUSTPAC up until the mid to late 1990s. Austpac could be accessed by
dial-up
Dial-up Internet access is a form of Internet access that uses the facilities of the public switched telephone network (PSTN) to establish a connection to an Internet service provider (ISP) by dialing a telephone number on a conventional telepho ...
to a
PAD or by linking an X.25 node to the network permanently.
The Austpac general access telephone number was 01924 within Australia.
Accessing Telecom Australia`s AUSTPAC service.
Compiled by Soft Beard 1990
Shutdown of Austpac
On 31 July 2006, Telstra announced the following timetable for the shutdown of Austpac:
From 31 July 31 2006, Austpac dedicated and dialup services via X.25, X.28, X.32 X.32 is an old ITU-T standard published in 1984 for connecting to an X.25 network by dial-up
Dial-up Internet access is a form of Internet access that uses the facilities of the public switched telephone network (PSTN) to establish a connection ...
& X.75 would no longer be sold to new customers.
From 31 December 31 2007, Austpac dedicated and dialup services via X.25, X.28, X.32 & X.75 would no longer be sold to existing customers.
On 30 June 30 2008, the Austpac network was decommissioned and was no longer be available to customers.
Austpac continued to be provisioned to Argent and Digital Data Services (DDS) customers to access and manage their service, until further notice. Argent and DDS customers' service will not be terminated as a result of the withdrawal of Austpac.
References
*
*
* {{Citation , author1=Castro, A , author2=Stirzaker, L , title=The use of AUSTPAC at Deakin University for distance education , date=1986 , url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/153218285 , accessdate=11 August 2017
External links
Notes on Austpac
by Vorper VII, 28/9/1998
The Nomenclature Maze
by Katie Blake
1982 establishments in Australia
Telstra
Wide area networks
X.25