AUSTPAC was a public X.25

X.25

X.25 is an ITU-T standard protocol suite for packet switched wide area network communication. An X.25 WAN consists of packet-switching exchange nodes as the networking hardware, and leased lines, Plain old telephone service connections or ISDN connections as physical links...

 network operated by Telstra

Telstra

Telstra Corporation Limited is an Australian telecommunications and media company, building and operating telecommunications networks and marketing voice, mobile, internet access and pay television products and services....

. Started by Telecom Australia

Telecom Australia

Telecom Australia was the trading name of the:* Australian Telecommunications Commission * Australian Telecommunications Corporation * Australian and Overseas Telecommunications Corporation...

 in 1982, AUSTPAC was Australia's first public packet-switched data network

Packet switching

Packet switching is a digital networking communications method that groups all transmitted data – regardless of content, type, or structure – into suitably sized blocks, called packets. Packet switching features delivery of variable-bit-rate data streams over a shared network...

, supporting applications such as online betting

Online gambling

Online gambling, also known as Internet gambling and iGambling, is a general term for gambling using the Internet.-Online poker:Online poker tables commonly offer Texas hold 'em, Omaha, Seven-card stud, razz, HORSE and other game types in both tournament and ring game structures...

, financial applications (the Australian Taxation Office

Australian Taxation Office

The Australian Taxation Office is an Australian Government statutory agency and the principal revenue collection body for the Australian Government. The ATO has responsibility for administering the Australian federal taxation system and superannuation legislation...

 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 to a PAD

Packet Assembler/Disassembler

A packet assembler/disassembler, abbreviated PAD is a communications device which provides multiple asynchronous terminal connectivity to an X.25 network or host computer. It collects data from a group of terminals and places the data into X.25 packets...

 or by linking an X.25 node to the network permanently.

Austpac Shutdown

On July 31, 2006, Telstra announced the following timetable for the shutdown of Austpac:

From July 31 2006, Austpac dedicated and dialup services via X.25, X.28

X.28

X.28 is an ITU-T standard specifying the interface between asynchronous character-mode data terminal equipment , such as computer terminals, and a Packet Assembler/Disassembler that connects the DTE to a packet switched network such as an X.25 network.-External links:*...

, X.32

X.32

X.32 is an old ITU-T standard published in 1984 for connecting to an X.25 network by dial-up. It defines how the network identifies the terminal for billing and security purposes....

 & X.75

X.75

X.75 is an International Telecommunication Union standard specifying the interface for interconnecting two X.25 networks. X.75 is almost identical to X.25...

will no longer be sold to new customers.

From December 31 2007, Austpac dedicated and dialup services via X.25, X.28, X.32 & X.75 will no longer be sold to existing customers.

On June 30 2008, the Austpac network will be decommissioned and will no longer be available to customers.

Austpac will continue 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.