T1 Connectivity

What is a dedicated circuit? (ie. T1 or T3)

A dedicated circuit is a digital line that provides transmission speeds up to 1.544 Mbits/sec (T1) or a T3 line at 45 Mbits/sec. The dedicated circuit is composed of two parts: the local loop and the carrier circuit. The local loop is provided by the telephone company because they are the ones that put the wire that is connected to the site into the ground. The other end of the circuit is routed to the telecommunications provider.

What are the benefits of a T1?

A T1 circuit is an 'always on' connection. It is a dedicated circuit in that it is never shared with anyone else.
A T1 is:
  1. Fast Internet Access up to 1.544 Mbits/sec

  2. Secure - It is not a shared line.

  3. Reliable - With SLA's (Service Level Agreements) of 99.9% uptime, it is far superior than that of DSL or Cable Modems.

What does a T1 cost?

T1 costs can vary depending on your location, prices start at $389.

What's the difference between a T1 and a Business DSL connection?

T1 vs. DSL

Main Advantage

 Quality Cost

Target Customer

 Organizations that require Internet access as part of their daily activities. Examples include on-line purchase order processing, customer or client research, travel booking, electronic banking/bill paying or other financial information, file transfer, etc. Any organization with the potential for 6 or more simultaneous users. Home and small companies wanting a cost-effective alternative for high-speed access that don't require guaranteed quality. Business that only use the Internet casually, and can switch to other work when speed is too slow.

Speed

 Synchronous 1.544 Mbits/sec Varies from 500Kbits/sec to as much as 7Mbits/sec. In most cases, the bandwidth varies throughout the day and the synchronous transmission is not guaranteed.

Price

 $389-$500/month $50-$150/month

Speed vs. Distance

 Guaranteed fixed speeds, independent of distance. Unregulated - There are no State and FCC regulations in place. Circuit cost escalations, defined quality levels, and customer service responsiveness are at the discretion of the DSL provider.

Distance Limit

 No limitations. T1's can generally be put in anywhere phone lines exist. Limited to 3.5 miles. DSL availability is limited to certain areas in many cities including Sacramento.

Reliability

 Dedicated T1 connections are built for high availability and reliability. The majority of the circuit (most often the entire circuit) is carried on modern high speed redundant fiber optic networks. DSL is a relatively new technology utilizing an outdated infrastructure. DSL requires that the entire circuit be built using a non-redundant all copper path. In many parts of Sacramento telco providers have abandoned the existing copper network in favor of redundant fiber optics. In order to provide DSL, telcos are forced to use old poorly maintained copper networks. Because of DSL's all copper path it has the tendency to drop frequently and is sensitive to weather conditions.

Connection

 T1 service offers private point-to-point dedicated connection between the customer and provider. There is no middleman. DSL is made via a shared, switched ATM network. A number of customers are aggregated at multiple single connection points (DSLAM in each DSL CO). Each aggregation point is a potential point of failure and congestion.

Monthly

 T1 circuit installation process is predictable, averaging 20 business days. Once a telco accepts an order for a T1 circuit, it must be delivered. DSL installation is uncertain and can be problematic, ranging from 14 business days to 90 business days or more. Ten percent of all DSL orders will never be installed. Telcos have no regulations to require them to deliver the service even after they accept a customer order.



 
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