Introduction

Welcome to DATAPAC -- a simulation of Canada's pioneering packet-switching network, and your gateway to a collection of virtual hosts that recall the golden age of Canadian telecommunications.

In 1976, the Trans-Canada Telephone System did something extraordinary: they launched the world's first national public packet-switching network. Before DATAPAC, if you wanted to access a remote computer, you placed a long-distance telephone call -- tying up an entire circuit for the duration of your session, paying by the minute, and praying the line quality held up over hundreds of kilometres. DATAPAC changed all of that. By breaking data into small packets and routing them across a shared network, it allowed dozens of simultaneous conversations to flow over the same physical lines. Suddenly, a researcher in Halifax could access a database in Vancouver for pennies instead of dollars, without the crackle and hiss of a transcontinental voice circuit.

The network operated on the X.25 protocol -- an international standard for packet-switching that became the backbone of data communication worldwide before the Internet supplanted it. Users connected through a PAD (Packet Assembler/Disassembler), a device that translated between the asynchronous world of your terminal and the structured world of X.25 packets. The PAD was your interpreter, your translator, your bridge between the familiar glow of a CRT and a vast network of interconnected services.

This simulation recreates that experience. When you dial 555-0325, you are greeted by a PAD prompt that behaves much as the original did -- accepting commands to connect to virtual hosts, configure terminal parameters, and navigate the network. The hosts themselves are period-appropriate: an information service, an electronic mail system, a newspaper database, a legal research platform, and a community bulletin board. Each one captures a slice of what it felt like to explore Canada's digital frontier in the early 1980s.

Key Features

• Authentic PAD (Packet Assembler/Disassembler) command interface
• Five virtual hosts accessible by X.25 Network User Address (NUA)
• X.3 PAD parameter configuration with adjustable echo, flow control, and idle timers
• Simulated connection delays and period-appropriate network status messages
• Session duration tracking and connection statistics
• Directory of available network services

Quick Start

Ready to explore Canada's packet-switching network? Here is everything you need:

1. Dial 555-0325 from the EC-TTY main menu
2. Wait for the PAD prompt -- you will see * after the welcome banner
3. Type DIR to see all available hosts and their NUAs
4. Type C 30200100100 to connect to ENVOY 100 (or any other NUA)
5. Interact with the host as you would any remote service
6. Press ESC to return to the PAD prompt (PAD RECALL)
7. Type CLR to disconnect from the current host
8. Type BYE when you are finished with your session

ATZ
OK
ATDT555-0325

CONNECT 2400

DATAPAC

CONNECTED TO DATAPAC

TELECOM CANADA DATAPAC NETWORK
YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS EST

TERMINAL: TTY
SPEED: 2400 BPS

*
DIR

DATAPAC NETWORK DIRECTORY

NUA           SERVICE           DESCRIPTION
───────────── ───────────────── ─────────────────────────────
30200100100   ENVOY 100         Telecom Canada Videotex
30200200200   INET 2000         Electronic Mail Service
30200300300   INFO GLOBE        Globe and Mail Database
30200400400   QL SYSTEMS        Canadian Legal Database
30200555555   DATAPAC BBS       Community Bulletin Board

TO CONNECT: C <NUA>

*
C 30200100100
CALLING 30200100100

COM

WELCOME TO ENVOY 100CANADA'S ELECTRONIC INFORMATION SERVICE

VIDEOTEX TERMINAL EMULATION

THIS IS A DEMONSTRATION SYSTEM

ENTER USER ID:

Within moments you will be connected to a virtual host -- no long-distance charges, no dedicated circuits, just clean, efficient packet-switching.

Connecting

Dialing In

To reach the DATAPAC network, dial 555-0325 from your terminal. Upon carrier detection, the PAD presents its welcome banner and then displays the * command prompt.

ATDT555-0325
CONNECT 2400

DATAPAC

CONNECTED TO DATAPAC

TELECOM CANADA DATAPAC NETWORK
YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS EST

TERMINAL: TTY
SPEED: 2400 BPS

*

Terminal Settings

The PAD Prompt

The * prompt indicates that you are connected to the PAD and ready to issue commands. This is your home base on the network -- from here you can call hosts, check your status, configure parameters, or disconnect.

When connected to a host, your keystrokes are forwarded directly to the remote service. To return to the PAD prompt without disconnecting from the host, press the ESC key (PAD RECALL). This is essential for managing your session while a connection is active.

PAD Commands

The PAD accepts commands at the * prompt. Commands are not case-sensitive -- call, CALL, and Call are all equivalent.

C (CALL) -- Connect to a Host

*C <nua>

Initiates a virtual call to the host identified by the given Network User Address. The PAD will display CALLING <nua> followed by a connection confirmation (COM) if successful, or an error message if the call cannot be completed.

*C 30200300300
CALLING 30200300300
COM

INFO GLOBE - THE GLOBE AND MAIL ELECTRONIC LIBRARY

THE GLOBE AND MAIL - SINCE 1844

ENTER ACCOUNT:

*C 99999999999
CALLING 99999999999
CLR DTE NC

*

The CLR DTE NC message is standard X.25 notation indicating that the call was cleared by the network -- "NC" meaning "Not Connected." This mirrors the real DATAPAC behaviour when an invalid or unreachable NUA was dialled.

CLR (CLEAR) -- Disconnect from Host

*CLR

Terminates the current connection to a host and returns you to the PAD prompt. If no connection is active, the PAD will inform you accordingly.

STAT (STATUS) -- Connection Status

*STAT

Displays information about your current session, including whether a connection is active, which host you are connected to, and the elapsed duration of your session.

*STAT

DATAPAC STATUS

STATE:    CONNECTED
NUA:      30200100100
HOST:     ENVOY 100
DURATION: 4:23

SET (SET) -- Configure PAD Parameters

*SET <parameter>:<value>

Modifies an X.3 PAD parameter. Parameters control the behaviour of the PAD, including character echo, line editing, flow control, and idle timeouts. See the X.3 Parameters section for a complete listing.

*SET 2:1
PARAMETER 2 SET TO 1

PAR (PARAMETERS) -- Display Settings

*PAR

Displays the current values of all X.3 PAD parameters. This is useful for verifying your configuration or diagnosing unexpected behaviour.

PROF (PROFILE) -- Reset to Defaults

*PROF

Resets all PAD parameters to their default values. Use this if you have made changes that produce undesirable results and wish to start fresh.

DIR (DIRECTORY) -- List Available Hosts

*DIR

Displays a directory of all hosts reachable on the network, including their NUAs and brief descriptions. This is your telephone book for DATAPAC.

HELP or ? -- Display Help

*HELP

Displays a summary of available PAD commands and their usage.

BYE, QUIT, or EXIT -- Disconnect

*BYE

Terminates your DATAPAC session entirely, clearing any active host connection and disconnecting from the PAD.

Available Hosts

DATAPAC provides access to five virtual hosts, each representing a type of service commonly found on Canadian data networks in the 1980s.

ENVOY 100 -- Videotex Information Service

ENVOY 100 was Canada's ambitious foray into videotex -- an interactive information service designed to bring news, weather, financial data, and electronic messaging to the general public. Operated by the federal government through the Department of Communications, it represented a vision of universal electronic information access years before the World Wide Web.

Connect with C 30200100100 and explore a menu-driven interface offering current news headlines, weather forecasts, stock market summaries, and a simple messaging system.

iNET 2000 -- Electronic Mail System

iNET 2000 provides a dedicated electronic mail service accessible via the DATAPAC network. Unlike the integrated messaging found within ENVOY 100, iNET 2000 focuses exclusively on correspondence -- offering a clean, purpose-built interface for composing, reading, and managing electronic mail.

Connect with C 30200200200 to access your inbox and send messages to other users on the system.

INFO GLOBE -- Newspaper Database

INFO GLOBE brings the archives of The Globe and Mail -- Canada's newspaper of record -- to your terminal screen. Search by keyword, date, author, or subject to retrieve full-text articles from one of the country's most comprehensive news databases.

Connect with C 30200300300 and enter your search terms to browse the archive.

QL SYSTEMS -- Canadian Legal Database

QL Systems (QuickLaw) provides access to Canadian legal materials -- court decisions, statutes, regulations, and legal commentary from across the country. Originally developed at Queen's University, QuickLaw became the indispensable tool of the Canadian legal profession.

Connect with C 30200400400 to search Canadian case law and legal databases.

DATAPAC BBS -- Community Bulletin Board

The DATAPAC BBS is a community gathering place for network users -- a virtual commons where you can read and post messages, browse file listings, and connect with fellow explorers of Canada's data network.

Connect with C 30200555555 to join the community.

X.3 Parameters

The X.3 standard defines a set of PAD parameters that control how your terminal interacts with the network. These parameters can be viewed with the PAR command and modified with the SET command.

Common Configurations

Enable character echo (if the host does not echo):

*SET 2:1

Disable character echo (if you see double characters):

*SET 2:0

Set idle timeout (auto-disconnect after 5 minutes of inactivity):

*SET 4:300

Disable PAD service messages (for cleaner host interaction):

*SET 6:0

Reset all parameters to defaults:

*PROF

Command Reference

Complete reference for all PAD commands.

Network Status Messages

When connecting to or disconnecting from hosts, the PAD displays standard X.25 status messages:

Appendix A: Quick Reference Card

+------------------------------------------------------------------+
|                   DATAPAC QUICK REFERENCE                         |
+------------------------------------------------------------------+
|  DIAL: ATDT555-0325                                              |
|                                                                  |
|  PAD COMMANDS:                                                   |
|    C <nua>    - Connect to host    CLR      - Disconnect         |
|    STAT       - Connection status  DIR      - List hosts         |
|    SET p:v    - Set parameter      PAR      - Show parameters    |
|    PROF       - Reset defaults     HELP     - Command help       |
|    BYE        - Exit DATAPAC       ESC key  - PAD recall         |
|                                                                  |
|  AVAILABLE HOSTS:                                                |
|    30200100100  ENVOY 100    Videotex info service               |
|    30200200200  iNET 2000    Electronic mail                     |
|    30200300300  INFO GLOBE   Newspaper database                  |
|    30200400400  QL SYSTEMS   Legal database                      |
|    30200555555  DATAPAC BBS  Community board                     |
|                                                                  |
|  KEY X.3 PARAMETERS:                                             |
|    SET 2:1  Echo on          SET 2:0  Echo off                   |
|    SET 4:N  Idle timer (sec) SET 12:1 Flow control on            |
|    SET 6:0  Hide PAD msgs    PROF     Reset all defaults         |
|                                                                  |
|  NETWORK MESSAGES:                                               |
|    COM         = Connected     CLR DTE NC = Host not found       |
|    CLR DTE     = Host cleared  CLR CONF   = Disconnect OK        |
+------------------------------------------------------------------+

Troubleshooting

"CLR DTE NC" after calling a host

The NUA you entered does not correspond to any host on the network. Double-check the address against the directory (DIR). NUAs are numeric and must be entered exactly -- a single wrong digit will result in a failed call.

Double characters appearing on screen

Both the PAD and the host are echoing your input. Press ESC to return to the PAD prompt and type SET 2:0 to disable PAD echo. The host will handle echoing on its own.

No characters appearing when you type

Neither the PAD nor the host is echoing your input. Press ESC to return to the PAD prompt and type SET 2:1 to enable PAD echo. If the problem persists, the host may require a specific terminal configuration.

"ERR" after entering a command

The PAD did not recognise your command or the syntax was incorrect. Check your spelling and ensure you are using the correct format. Type HELP for a summary of valid commands.

Connection drops after period of inactivity

The idle timer (X.3 parameter 4) may be set to disconnect after a timeout period. Use SET 4:0 to disable the idle timer, or increase the value to allow longer periods of inactivity.

Cannot return to PAD prompt while connected

Press the ESC key. This performs a PAD RECALL, returning you to the * prompt while keeping your host connection alive. If ESC does not work, verify that X.3 parameter 1 is set to 1 (SET 1:1).

"CALL IN PROGRESS" when trying to connect

You already have an active connection to a host. Use CLR to disconnect from the current host before placing a new call, or press ESC first to return to the PAD prompt.

Lost connection during a session

If your modem connection drops, your DATAPAC session is lost. Each dial-in starts a fresh session. For important work, save your progress within the host application before disconnecting.

Historical Context

The Birth of Packet-Switching

In the late 1960s, the idea of breaking data into small packets and routing them independently across a network was still radical. Paul Baran at the RAND Corporation and Donald Davies at the National Physical Laboratory in the UK had both proposed the concept, but practical implementations were limited to experimental networks like ARPANET in the United States.

Canada saw an opportunity. The Trans-Canada Telephone System -- a consortium of the country's major telephone companies -- recognised that the vast distances between Canadian cities made traditional circuit-switching expensive and inefficient for data communication. A university researcher in St. John's accessing a mainframe in Edmonton should not need to monopolise an entire long-distance circuit for the duration of a session.

DATAPAC's Launch

DATAPAC was announced in 1976 and began commercial service in June 1977, making it the world's first national public packet-switching network. It initially connected major cities -- Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, and Vancouver -- but rapidly expanded to cover communities across the country.

The network used the X.25 protocol, which had been standardised by the CCITT (now ITU-T) just the year before. X.25 defined a reliable, connection-oriented protocol for packet-switching that handled error correction, flow control, and multiplexing -- essential features for a network spanning thousands of kilometres of telephone lines that were never designed to carry digital data.

How It Worked

A DATAPAC subscriber connected to the network through a PAD, typically by dialling a local telephone number. The PAD converted the asynchronous character stream from the user's terminal into X.25 packets and forwarded them to the appropriate host. Replies from the host were reassembled into a character stream and delivered back to the terminal.

From the user's perspective, it felt like a direct connection to the remote host -- but behind the scenes, data was being chopped into packets, routed through multiple network nodes, and reassembled at the destination. Multiple users shared the same physical links, each paying only for the data they actually transmitted rather than for a dedicated circuit.

Impact on Canada

DATAPAC transformed Canadian computing. Banks used it for interbank transactions. Airlines used it for reservation systems. Universities used it for research collaboration. Government departments used it for interdepartmental communication. And individual subscribers used it to access information services, electronic mail, and databases that would otherwise have been prohibitively expensive to reach by long distance.

At its peak, DATAPAC served tens of thousands of subscribers and carried millions of packets daily. It was, in every meaningful sense, Canada's first Internet -- a nationwide data network that connected people and machines across a country that spans six time zones.

Glossary

CCITT -- Comite Consultatif International Telephonique et Telegraphique (International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee). The international body that standardised the X.25 protocol. Now known as the ITU-T.

Circuit-Switching -- A communication method where a dedicated physical path is established between two endpoints for the duration of a session. Traditional telephone calls use circuit-switching -- the line is yours alone until you hang up.

CLR (Clear) -- An X.25 signal indicating the termination of a virtual call. In PAD usage, the command to disconnect from a host.

COM -- The PAD status message indicating a successful connection to a host. Short for "communication established."

DTE (Data Terminal Equipment) -- Your terminal or computer. In X.25 terminology, the device at the user's end of the connection. The PAD sits between your DTE and the network.

ENVOY 100 -- Canada's national videotex and electronic messaging service, operated by the Department of Communications. Later renamed Envoy Post.

Host -- A computer system accessible through the DATAPAC network, identified by its Network User Address (NUA).

NUA (Network User Address) -- A numeric address identifying a specific host on the X.25 network. Analogous to a telephone number, but for data connections. Canadian NUAs begin with the country code 302.

Packet -- A discrete unit of data transmitted across the network. Each packet contains a portion of the user's data along with addressing and control information. Packets may travel different routes to reach their destination.

Packet-Switching -- A communication method where data is broken into packets and routed independently across a shared network. More efficient than circuit-switching for bursty data traffic because network capacity is shared among many users.

PAD (Packet Assembler/Disassembler) -- A device or software that converts between asynchronous terminal characters and X.25 packets. The PAD assembles your keystrokes into packets for transmission and disassembles incoming packets into characters for your terminal.

PAD RECALL -- The act of pressing ESC to return from a host session to the PAD command prompt. The host connection remains active during a PAD recall.

Trans-Canada Telephone System -- The consortium of Canadian telephone companies that developed and operated DATAPAC. Members included Bell Canada, BC Tel, AGT, SaskTel, MTS, and others.

X.3 -- The CCITT recommendation defining the parameters that control PAD behaviour, such as echo, flow control, idle timeout, and data forwarding. The SET and PAR commands interact with X.3 parameters.

X.25 -- The CCITT recommendation defining the interface between a user's terminal (DTE) and the packet-switching network. X.25 provides reliable, connection-oriented virtual circuits with built-in error correction and flow control.

X.28 -- The CCITT recommendation defining the interface between a terminal and a PAD -- the commands and responses you see when interacting with the * prompt.

X.29 -- The CCITT recommendation defining the interface between a PAD and a host -- the protocol used behind the scenes when the PAD communicates with remote services on your behalf.

Virtual Call -- An X.25 connection between two endpoints that behaves like a dedicated circuit but shares physical network resources with other connections. Each C <nua> command establishes a virtual call.

See Also

Continue exploring the Emulator.ca network with these related services:

• Electronic Mail (555-0750) -- Send and receive private messages without the packet-switching overhead
• Gopher Client (555-0710) -- Another way to explore networked information services
• Modem Handshake (555-0725) -- Understand the signals that make your DATAPAC connection possible
• ANSI Art Gallery (555-0200) -- Experience the visual culture of the BBS era

DATAPAC is a product of Emulator.ca Systems. For technical support, consult your EC-TTY documentation or contact your system operator. This simulation is dedicated to the engineers of the Trans-Canada Telephone System who built the world's first national packet-switching network.