The dedicated T1 Internet connection is an obvious answer because so many businesses now depend on their Internet connection as either their means of doing business or as a productivity booster. T1 lines have advantages over consumer oriented services such as DSL and Cable broadband. T1 is a regulated telecommunications service that gets top attention in the event there is line trouble. These lines are so dependable, and need to be, that they are usually offered with a service level agreement. T1 lines are symmetrical. You get the same 1.5 Mbps bandwidth both for both upload and download. Since T1 is a dedicated service, meaning available for your exclusive use, there is no bandwidth sharing with other customers to restrict your line speed.
Here's a trick T1 lines do that you may not be aware of. Where 1.5 Mbps was once considered a lot of bandwidth, many companies are finding they really need higher speeds these days. T1 lines can be bonded together to create larger bandwidths. You order a second T1 line to double your bandwidth to 3 Mbps, three lines give you 4.5 Mbps and four lines give you 6 Mbps. You don't have to worry about making these connections. Your service provider takes care of it without any changes to your company LAN.
You can also go the other way. Perhaps you don't need even 1.5 Mbps of bandwidth but you really do need the performance and availability of a T1 line. Fractional T1 service might be right for you. This service is just what you think. You get a fraction of the full bandwidth for a lower monthly leasing cost.
T1 lines don't have to connect to the Internet. A private line or point to point connection can be ordered to connect two business locations. Since the line is direct and private, you don't have security issues that come from using a public network like the Internet. Security can also be managed by running encryption software that creates a VPN or Virtual Private network using public Internet connections.
T1 can be used for voice as well as data. In fact, the first application for T1 lines was by the telephone companies. They used them, and still do, to transport multiple telephone calls between their switching offices. You can order a channelized T1 line, also called a T1 telephone line or telephone trunk. This arrangement aggregates up to 24 separate telephone lines onto one T1 line. T1 phone lines are popular for PBX phone systems and call centers. A special form of channelized T1 line, called ISDN PRI or T1 PRI gives you up to 23 outside phone lines plus a data channel that provides Caller ID information and very fast switching times.
T1 lines can also do double duty when they connect you to a specialized service provider. An Integrated T1 service offers up to a dozen telephone lines plus broadband Internet access over a single T1 line. Usually whatever bandwidth isn't being used for telephone calls is automatically assigned to Internet access.
SIP Trunking uses T1 lines to carry both telephone and Internet service for companies that have switched to VoIP telephone systems and have IP PBX systems instead of the traditional PBX telephone system. This service extends your converged voice and data network to a service provider who terminates the calls to the public telephone system and provides your broadband Internet access.
Which type of T1 line service is right for you? It's likely that one or more of these services is a good match for your business needs. Using our GeoQuote (tm) search engine, you can check T1 options and prices in seconds. Go ahead. You may be surprised by how little you'll pay for the service you really need.
