The first worldwide public packet switching network

In 1972, three years after ARPANET started to operate, the Spanish telephone company, then CTNE and now Telefónica, launched the first worldwide public data transmission service, based upon packet switching technology; twelve years later, in France, started to being offered TRANSPAC services. When starting its operation, the Spanish network had three main hosts, installed in Madrid (Univac 418 III), Barcelona (IBM 360/40) and Bilbao (Datanet 500). At the beginning, the name of the network was, RETD (Red Especial de Transmisión de Datos), and fourteen years later was renamed as IBERPAC. In 1979, was implemented in the network a packet switching equipment node, TESYS. Based on the know-how acquired during the first fifteen years of operation, CTNE was able to complete the development of its own technology, data transmission protocols and equipment.