T1 Provider Gives Cost Effective Internet Access Solution For Small Businesses

If you run a small or medium sized business then you will want a reliable and cost-effective means to connect to the internet. T1 internet access allows your employees to effectively use the internet to communicate with vendors, with customers and with each other. T1 is very much faster than dial-up connections, and unlike ADSL connections T1 connections are symmetric: the upload speed is the same as the download speed. When choosing a T1 provider you need to consider your business requirements to determine what level of service you require. You can assess your requirements yourself or employ a consultant.

T1 is a symmetrical connection from your business to the internet. Data transfer speeds for a single T1 line are 1.5 Mbits/s, which is 30 times faster than dial up connections. T1 is also an "always on" technology unlike older dial up connections.

Many users are now familiar with technologies such as ADSL which offer high download speeds and always on connection. However ADSL technologies are asymmetric: the upload speed is much slower than the download speed. This can make ADSL a poor choice for business and office environments: one or two outgoing emails with large file attachments could degrade your connection badly. T1 is a symmetric technology: upload and download speeds are the same, and a single T1 connection can support up to 24 telephone calls at any time.

You can choose different levels of T1 service. With Integrated T1 you can allocate some of the 24 channels to voice (telephone) services. The others can all be used for data.

Smaller businesses can choose Fractional or Burstable T1 services. Fractional T1 gives you less than 24 channels but costs are correspondingly lower. Burstable T1 is a "pay as you go" arrangement. You can have a guaranteed amount of bandwidth at all times, and have access to higher bandwidth to deal with traffic peaks.

Lastly, Bonded T1 offers the greater bandwidth of multiple T1 connections to your business. T1 service providers will work with you to identify which level of service is best for your business.

Reliability of internet and telephone connection is important to businesses. A Service Level Agreement (SLA) with your T1 provider will guarantee the level of service you need. With this type of agreement the provider will pay penalties if the connection downtime exceeds the agreed limits.

Identifying the technical needs of your business can be difficult. Consultants may be employed to determine the precise requirements of any small and medium sized business, and to help choose the service level required from the T1 line provider.