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Transpac (data network)

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Transpac, also written TRANSPAC, was a French public data network that operated from the December 1978 to June 2012.

History

It was opened in December 1978 by the semi-public Transpac society.

It offered the X.25 interface to its users, the CCITT standard of 1976 for which computer scientists of the Centre national d'études des télécommunications (CNET) had played a major role. This network has been part of the worldwide X.25 network which, before the Internet, permitted data exchanges around the planet.[1]

Initially created for professional customers, it was later used by millions of French terminals Minitels to access consumer applications, forerunners of those of the Internet.[1] Minitel used the existing Transpac network, but its popularity caused problems for the network's commercial users. After a severe disruption in June 1985, France Télécom separated business traffic from Télétel, dedicated to the Minitel service.[2] When connecting, the Minitel's integrated modem generally dialed a short code number connecting to a PAVI (Point d'Accès VIdéotexte, "videotext access point") from the subscriber's analog telephone line. The PAVI in turn connected digitally via Transpac to the destination servers of the appropriate company or administration.

In 1987, Transpac was the world's largest public packet-switched network with revenues of nearly $400m.[3] Minitel videotex services accounted for 45% of its data and 20% of its $678m revenue in 1990.[4] By 1991, it was operating in fifteen European countries.[5]

France Télécom closed the Minitel service, and the Transpac network via which it was available, in June 2012.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "X.25 Virtual Circuits - Transpac in France - Pre-Internet Data Networking". IEEE. November 2010.
  2. ^ Epstein, Nadine (1986-03-09). "Et Voila! Le Minitel". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
  3. ^ IDG Network World (1988-09-26). Network World. IDG Network World Inc.
  4. ^ IDG Network World (1991-09-16). Network World. IDG Network World Inc.
  5. ^ Chung, Seon Jong (1996). Information Highways for a Smaller World and Better Living: Proceedings of ICCC'95 (12th International Conference on Computer Communication) August 21-24, Seoul. IOS Press. ISBN 978-90-5199-240-3.
  6. ^ "How France fell out of love with Minitel". INDEPENDENT. June 2012.
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