The Secrets of Fractional T1
If a full T1 isn't in your budget, you need to consider a fractional T1 line instead. Why not get all the extra benefits of T1 even if you’re not in a market for a complete T1? For many people the biggest factor in their choice is reliability. You should consider it too if reliability is critical to the types of software you run over your network connection. If you are now using DSL for your internet connection, you must think about replacing it with fractional T1. DSL is a quick and inexpensive method of acquiring high speed bandwidth in Washington, however it is not intended to handle mission-critical applications or large numbers of users as are T1 connections.
One disadvantage with fractional T1 connections is the cost. Even though you won't have a full T1, you will be paying quite a bit more than you otherwise would for your DSL connection. This is due to the fee schedule of T1 pricing. A T1 connection is established by providing a "loop" or wire from the user's premises to the CO where the carrier has equipment. Part of the cost of a T1 is the "loop charge" or the monthly rental fee for the cable that is rented from the local phone company. Once the connection reaches the CO it can tie into the carrier’s network and communicate with any destination. This loop is charged in full whether you use a part of the available bandwidth or the full 1.5Mbps and therefore your price for a 768Kbps fractional T1 connection will never be half the price of a 1.5mbps full T1 connection.
Although the price decrease is not what you might expect it to be, this may still put a fractional T1 within your budget and be a great way to get dedicated service into your building. Once you have fractional service, migrating to full service is easy. Fractional service usually comes in 256Kbps increments from 256Kbps up to a full T1 at 1.5Mbps. Find the service that's best for you, but if you are supporting critical services, think about reliability. Reliability becomes critical when customers or employees need to use 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 network 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 can be thought of as critical. A critical connection can be viewed much like a lifeline, without which your company would be in trouble.
