Don't Pay For
Your T1 Router!
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Don't Pay For
Your T1 Router!
Written by: Patrick Oborn of Shopfort1.com - January 05, 2006
With the drop in the economy since 1999 came a drop in usage of network capacity. This spells opportunity for broadband buyers. Carriers are bending over backward trying to get people to use their networks. A few years ago hardware was something you had to worry about yourself. Today, most service providers are willing to throw in a t1 router valued between $750 to $3,000 with your new service contract. Providers have become extremely competitive and one of the ways they are trying to attract customers is by making the start-up process as simple as possible.
Service providers have tried many different methods of attracting customers and simplifying the start-up process. Credit checks have been simplified, application paperwork been reduced in size, and there are increasingly discounts available for new customers. The free router when from a special promotion offered to increase month end sales to becoming a standard part of the product offering. It is now the exception to the norm to find providers that do not offer a router with their service.
If you're in the market for a new T1 service be aware that you should be able to get a router with your service. If the provider does not offer this service don't be afraid to ask for it and if they do offer it make sure you get the best router possible. Remember, it's a buyers market and you will likely be able to add on a few "extra" when you get your new service. The best way to ensure that you aren't leaving anything on the table is use a broker who knows the service providers and knows how to get you as much as possible. Consider using one of the brokers at ShopforT1.com.
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Written by: Patrick Oborn - January 07, 2006 An OC3 line is an ultra high-speed connection capable of transmitting data at rates up to 155 Mbps. Some ISP's, large corporations and universities with high-volume network traffic will require an OC3 if they have an extremely high volume of traffic that can't be handled by a DS3. An OC3 is so large that some ISP's use this as the backbone to their network. If you believe you're in the market for OC3 Service we recommend getting hold of an expert. While you may be an expert when it comes to network connections and data applications you will still want to have an expert by your side when it comes to pricing and negotiating for connections. The expert to whom we refer is a broker or independent agent. In addition to being knowledgeable of the technology a brokers expertise lies in his or her knowledge of carriers, their networks, their strengths and weaknesses and also in their relationship with sales managers and VP's at the companies. This means a better deal for you! There is an opportunity to achieve significant cost reductions in your oc3 service. The key is using an expert broker. Brokers don't charge fees to the end user and they don't mark up the priceof the service. They are paid by the company which you sign with at the end. As the carrier doesn't have to pay an inside sales rep for the sale, they compensate the broker instead and maintain the same margin as though you went direct. Another advantage of the agent is the fact that he is paid on a residual basis. This means that he or she is interested in the longevity of your account and the level of your service. |
DS3 Service in the
Los Angeles Market
Written by: Patrick Oborn - January 07, 2006
Searching for a DS1 in Los Angeles? Bandwidth has never been cheaper and Los Angeles is no exception to this. Many telecom companies built out their infrastructure in Metro cities and with the crash that has taken place since 1999 many of these companies have seen the usage of their pipes decrease significantly. The infrastructure that was laid is a fixed cost that companies are eager to recover. The result of the reduced number of businesses in the market seeking service and the drop in pricing has created a buyers market.
In a buyers market remember that you can push and probably get concessions from the carrier but also remember that all carriers are not created equally. Many carriers may appear to offer a bargain price but you may be several hops from the internet and have a problem with latency. You may also be using a small carrier that hasn't actually checked the capacity of the CO before you sign your contract and can't even deliver the service they promised. The only way you'll discover this is when you start using your connection and find that at peak traffic times your connection is bogged down at a level below that which was guaranteed.
We suggest when dealing with a larger pipe you consider the larger Tier1 providers. You can still get a great price even though it's not as low as some of the Tier 1 and Tier 3 companies. You'll also have the peace of mind knowing that you have an SLA and the company will deliver what you believe you will get. If you're in the market of a DS3, communications are vital to your company. Make sure you get both a reliable product and the price you're looking for. If you need help finding such a service, consider speaking with the professionals at T1.
DS1 Service for
Less Than $500
Written by: Patrick Oborn - January 07, 2006
Finding DS1 service in your area can be a challenge. If you don't know the local providers you would likely start with your local phone company (and likely get a horrible deal). When searching for a service it's important to know which providers have POP's (Point of Presence) in your area but for some reason service providers don't like to reveal this information.
If a DS1 line is in your near future, take the guesswork out of your search and contact a broker. Brokers are able to contact numerous providers in the time it would take you to have a conversation with one or two providers that may not even offer service in your area. Want a line for under $500? Let your broker know this and he or she will know to point you only in the direction of such companies that offer a service at this price.
We recommend the use of brokers in the search for service and we also recommend using a broker to sign up for your service. Many people believe they can "beat the system" by contacting a broker to get pricing and other information as quickly as possible and will then go straight to the carrier believing they can get better service. This "end-run" process is actually a good way to cut yourself out of some of the biggest advantages of having a broker. Brokers don't mark up the price of services. They offer the same price you would get if you did go direct to the company. The advantage of ordering through a broker is that you will get a second channel of customer service. If the company is not performing to expectation you will always be able to go back to your broker who puts a significant volume through the carrier. A broker is much more likely to get the companies attention and have your problem solved. In our opinion, a broker is the only way to go!
T3 Connection FAQ
Written by: Patrick Oborn - January 07, 2006
A t3 connection is a point-to-point dedicated line that provides 672 64-Kbps voice or data channels or in other words 28 T1 lines. A T3 is used to transmit digital signals at 44.736 megabits per second and has enough bandwidth to transmit full-motion real-time video and very large databases over a busy network. A T3 line would be installed as a major networking channel for a large corporation or university with high volume network traffic.
When you need more capacity, you often have to buy it in the next available increment, which may end up costing more than you want or can afford to spend. Worse yet, with current, "burst" application requirements, the need for additional bandwidth can often be as temporary as it is critical. By providing flexible capacity, or "bandwidth on demand," service providers can help customers deal with variations in traffic, and with avoiding a high fixed monthly payment. True bandwidth-on-demand services should allow for a wide range in capacity.
Although anybody can purchase a burstable T3, this type of connection can be costly, even as costly as a full 45Mbps connection. Burstable lines can be found at their lowest cost at a collocation facility. At a collocation facility, or "colo", many users share a large OC3 or OC12 pipe. As a customer you will not have to pay for a the fixed cost of such a large pipe, but will have the benefit of being able to burst up to very high speeds if necessary. If you need the reliability of a large pipe fur busty traffic but don't have the capital consider a colo. If you have a steady volume and are consistent, you may consider keeping services in house and going with a T3 connection. Whether you're considering a collocation facility or a T3 to the door, make sure you use a broker to help guide you through the providers and plans available.
Is a T1 Connection
Better than DSL?
Written by: Patrick Oborn - January 07, 2006
Is a T1 connection better than a DSL connection? A more appropriate question might be "Is a T1 connection MORE APPROPRIATE than a DSL connections. A T1 connection and DSL connection both offer bandwidth at high speed but have two factors that greatly differentiate them from one another. Those factors are price and reliability. A DSL connection has a low price and is less reliable than a T1 connection. A T1 is much more expensive than a DSL connection but is also much more reliable.
So are you looking for reliability or price? Reliability becomes critical when customers or employees depend on your connection for immediate responses. If your customers use your connection to access your databases or your server or the internet then reliability of your connection is critical. If your employees depend on your connections because you host the e-mail server in house or host web servers, your connections is considered critical. A critical connection can be viewed much like a life line, without which your business would be negatively impacted. Your monthly savings of having a sub-par connections will not make up for the loss in productivity of your employees or loss of customers when your DSL connections gets bogged down or cut off. To reiterate, critical connections should be supported with a T1 connection.
Many customers are extremely price sensitive and cannot afford the cost of a T1 which can be as much as 20 times more expensive than a full T1 connection. Residential customers who are most sensitive to price should not consider a T1 connection unless then have a business reason to pay for such a circuit and cannot access DSL service. You may get lucky and find a T1 connection that is low cost which would give you both price and reliability but be careful. Many T1's sold for less than $600 are not truly dedicated circuits and are oversubscribed. In short, if price is your critical factor go with DSL. If reliability is the critical factor purchase a dedicated T1.
ATT T1 Network =
Reliability
Written by: Patrick Oborn - January 07, 2006
So reliability is important to you in your search for a connection? You may want to consider an ATT t1 ATT lines have one of the highest SLA of any major carrier and the service is backed by an organization that has been in telecommunications for 113 years. If you're looking for superior quality, reliability and customer service consider buying a T1 line from ATT.
As mentioned in previous articles in the publication reliability is critical when setting up lines that will be the lifeline of your company. AT&T is among the world's premier voice, video and data communications companies, serving consumers, businesses and government. In 2000, AT&T had annual revenues of nearly $66 billion. Backed by the research and development capabilities of AT&T Labs, the company runs the world's largest, most sophisticated communications network, and is the largest cable operator in the U.S. The company is a leading supplier of data and Internet services for businesses and offers outsourcing, consulting and networking-integration to large businesses.
If you're convinced that ATT is a good solution for you but don't want to pay the price we have found another alternative. ACC Business, a division of ATT will sell the same service over the same network for a lower price! How is this possible? It's much like buying a generic brand and getting the same quality as the name brand. ACC was a reseller of ATT products until they were acquired by ATT in 1996. Now ACC provides the same ATT products under their own brand at a lower cost! If you want the security of a large company and the personable service of a small company, take a look at ACC Business.
How to Tell You
Need T1 Service
Written by: Patrick Oborn - January 07, 2006
Is it time to look for t1 service? Many people are confused when they consider whether to upgrade from DSL or not. There are several factors to consider when examining you current DSL connection and the possibility of replacing it. For many people the biggest factors is reliability and if reliability is critical to the applications you run over your connection you should seriously consider replacing your DSL connection with a T1. DSL is a quick and cost effective method of acquiring high speed bandwidth however it is not intended to support commercial applications or large numbers of users as are T1 connections.
Reliability becomes critical when customers or employees depend on your connection for immediate responses. If your customers use your connection to access your databases or your server or the internet then reliability of your connection is critical. If your employees depend on your connections because you host the e-mail server in house or host web servers or ASP type products, your connections is considered critical. A critical connection can be viewed much like a lifeline, without which your business would be negatively impacted. Your monthly savings of having a sub-par connections will not make up for the loss in productivity of your employees or loss of customers when your DSL connections gets bogged down or cut off. To reiterate, critical connections should be supported with a T1.
Many customers are extremely price sensitive and cannot afford the cost of a T1 which can be as much as 20 times more expensive than a full T1 connection. Residential customers who are most sensitive to price should not consider a T1 circuit unless then have a business reason to pay for such a circuit and cannot access DSL service. Most people don't realize that a DSL connection can be just as fast as a T1 at 1.5Mbps. The shortcoming of DSL is that it is oversubscribed. This means there is a finite amount of bandwidth available and a customer’s speed can drop if other customers in the neighborhood decide to use their service. SDSL (Synchronous DSL) is a business class DSL and is ranked as a higher priority than residential DSL or ADSL (Asynchronous DSL). This means it is not oversubscribed to the extent than ADSL and is subject to fewer bandwidth restrictions. In short, if price is your critical factor go with DSL. If reliability is the critical factor purchase a dedicated T1.
T1 Bandwidth is
Getting Cheaper!
Written by: Patrick Oborn - January 07, 2006
While many people predicted the end of price erosion for a T1 internet connection it continues to fall. Service providers are up against stiffer competition and are desperate for new customers to fill their pipes and turn a profit. Are you ready to negotiate for a rock bottom price? Before you do, consider a few of the reasons for the drop in price on T1 bandwidth.
T1 bandwidth pricing had reduces as companies have gone out of business and the large number of telecommunications companies are fighting for a place in a smaller market. While many service providers did have room to lose margin, many have come dangerously close to the edge of selling circuits at a loss and many have gone beyond this point. It seems that in the race to the bottom many providers failed to learn the lesson that selling at a loss does not create a long lasting and healthy company no matter how many circuits or widgets you sell. Many companies selling at a loss have already been in bankruptcy and look like they will repeat this exercise as they did not learn from their first go around. So, solvency of the T1 internet service provider should be a consideration when looking at great bargains.
Another consideration in bargain shopping for T1 service is the fact that all T1's are not created equal. Many providers are convinced (and rightly so) that customers are focused on price and are not concerned with quality of service. Many providers are now oversubscribing T1 service connections as though they were DSL connections. This means you may not get the bandwidth you thought you would get. Make sure when you look for that bargain price you also review the SLA (Service Level Agreement) and make sure the contract protects you and guarantees you will get the bandwidth to which they committed. Remember, when bargain hunting for T1 service you'll most likely get what you pay for.
T3 Line Vendor
Review
Written by: Patrick Oborn - January 07, 2006
If a T1 service isn't enough to meet your needs, you can choose from the Tier 1 service providers' comprehensive t3 line (DS-3) service options. This high-speed line is offered in variables of up to 45 Mbps (from 3 Mbps to 45 Mbps or just 45 Mbps, depending on your needs) of continuous bandwidth so you can optimize the response time of your Web site, transfer large video files, or offer regional Internet access. We found 5 service providers that offer great plans. The first plan we found was with ACC Business. ACC uses the ATT network exclusively and is at the top when it comes to reliability. At ACC you'll get the reliability you would expect from ATT without the price.
Sprint also came up high in our review of T3 service plans. Sprint offers an incredible SLA (Service Level Agreement) with their service standing behind the product they offer 100%. While this may seem like something all providers do, further research will show that not all providers offer an SLA like Sprint. The third provider offering a great T3 plan is Telepacific. Unfortunately Telepacific is a regional player and only offers service in California and Las Vegas. Because of their focus they are extremely specialized and offer incredible customer support and reliability. If you're not in California you may consider moving there just to get this service!
The fourth plan we found and highly recommend is Telarus. Telarus is a reseller for Global Crossing, Qwest, and Wiltel. While you will get the value of the underlying provider you will not pay the price you would if you had gone in the front door. Telarus buys in bulk from these networks and transfers on the cost savings to its customers. Telarus is a virtual provider so you will not have extra hops to the network. You jump right on from your local CO and don't have to worry about extra latency! The final plan we suggest in our top 5 is Savvis. Savvis offers Tier 1 service and highly reliable customer service. While they have a limited footprint, once you're on the network you'll have one of the best services around.
DS3_Price_Trends
Written by: Patrick Oborn - January 07, 2006
Like most telecommunications services DS3 prices (commonly known at T3) have been falling for the last few years. This is due to several factors. Competition has been heating up since deregulation in 1996. The number of companies offering service has exploded. With more competition in the marketplace service providers have to reduce their prices to attract customer and keep them from going to competitors. Service providers are desperate to keep margins but even more desperate to keep adding customers. This competitive arena has created a buyers market for DS3 lines and pricing is as favorable as it has ever been!
The soft economy and crash of the stock market has also contributed to the reduction in ds3 price. Since the peak of the market in 1999 many companies have gone out of business and no longer require service. This means there's a smaller pie available and there are plenty of telecom providers trying to get their share. Once again, the buyer is in control and can shop until he or she finds the price that is right for them.
A final reason for the reduction in DS3 pricing is the fact that equipment costs and the cost of supplying the bandwidth have decreased. This means that companies can supply the bandwidth at a lower cost. As bandwidth usage continues to increase as a result of bandwidth hungry applications like video on demand and graphic heavy applications the price of bandwidth will continue to drop. The only factor that seems likely to inhibit prices from falling much further is the "last mile" or the connection from the users premise to the service providers' POP (Point of Presence), but we'll save this issue for another article. Until then, enjoy those affordable DS3's and good luck finding a price that's right for you!
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