A T1 is a dedicated digital circuit from the carrier, i.e., Nuvox to the internet. It is not a shared connection like Road Runner or DSL, it is a direct connection to the internet. It is supplied by the phone company as a copper line to your place of business and divided into 24 digital 64K channels which can be divided up between phone lines and data lines. This dedicated connection ensures that you have a committed bandwidth rate of up to 1.54Mb up and down that you do not receive with broadband carriers.

Many times I am faced with this question from a client. The simple answer is maybe. There are many things that are taken into consideration when I recommend a T1 connection for a client and the most important thing is how critical the clients internet connection is to their business.

You will see that many businesses have a DSL or a Roadrunner account for their internet connection needs. These often work well and provide a level of service that works most of the time. One thing that clients need to understand is that there is something called a SLA. This acronym stands for Service Level Agreement.

An SLA dictates how and when support services are provided should there be an interruption of internet service. Most broadband providers have a 24 hour SLA and I have seen in many cases that it has taken longer which will cost time and money.

A T1 has a SLA mandatory 4 hour response. Anyone who has a T1 really never knows of a problem because they are solved before the customer even realizes there is a problem.

When a client's internet connection is crucial to their business continuity then the answer to the question is YES. When a client has multiple locations that require constant connectivity, i.e., VPN access, the answer is YES. When a client is in an area that is not serviceable by any other means then the answer is YES.

T1 connections typically cost between 450.00 and 650.00 per month. They do require a contract that typically ranges from 2-3 years.

Because a T1 is only a 1.54Mb internet connection it is less speed than what most consumers are used to. If they have a Road Runner internet connection then they are usually used to 2-5MB download which for people that watch videos or hog a substantial amount of bandwidth then they will be impacted by the reduced connection speed. Many times we have combined the RR connection with the T1 and voice services keeping under their current communication expenses.

Constant reliable connectivity, expandability (A T1 client can have as many as 24 phone lines without paying the 52.00 per month that a typical analog line costs. The ability to have total control over their voice lines such as forwarding, disaster voice routing, limitless IP addresses, expanded local calling range and many more.

I do not sell a T1 solution if the need does not fit. Qualifiing factors other than those mentioned above are the amount of phone lines a client has, their total voice/data costs per month. When I see a fit I pursue it and the client is much happier.

If I encounter a business that has 6 telephone lines or more I evaluate what they are spending for these analog lines which is usually around 52.00 per month per line, their long distance usage and their current internet service which can be up to $200.00 per month. This usually represents a total cost of $500.00 or more. If your communication costs and data costs exceed 400.00 month then you are a candidate for a T1. In addition, if a client's internet is crucial and they are too far away from a CO to get DSL or there is no other type of broadband connection available then a T1 far surpasses the reliability of satellite which is the only other option.

If you have any questions at all you can call me directly on my cell phone and I will explain any questions you may have 863-521-0440. Thank you.