In 1995, the Telecommunication Company of Iran (TCI) petitioned the Majles (Iranian Parliament) to be allowed to establish a public joint stock company, the Data Communication Company of Iran (DCI), to take over responsibility for the already established X.25 packet switching network known as Iranpac (DNIC number 4321) and further development of data services on a monopoly basis.
Internet services are now being offered to the public by DCI, albeit on a limited and expensive basis. While commercial Internet access was developing slowly, DCI was pursuing its own goals. Phase I of DCI's ``Internet project" provided the capability to support 20,000 Internet users via Iranpac.
The network was contracted to Alcatel in 1992 and uses 24 1100 PSX nodes, which enable X.75, X.25, X.8, X.28, X.29, BSC, SNA/SDLC, and asynchronous frame relay capabilities. It has also recently been expanded to handle some 300,000 subscribers at more than 170 localities. Internal port speeds are at present 28.8 kbps and projected to increase to 64 kbps during the second expansion phase.
In 1997 DCI put out a public tender for supply of 850 VSAT stations, as well as a pager system for Tehran and 25 provinces for 1 million subscribers. Further expansion plans call for implementation of an X.400 messaging system (code named Iran 400). DCI also offers a Persian/English domestic only email service. DCI's minitel service known as IVTX has been terminated. DCI rates for Internet access were slashed by 40% last year to attract new subscribers and to become more competitive with private ISPs.