T1 Internet Access for Dummies
This particular T1 Internet Service has been available for over 40 years yet in no way have there been numerous "flavors" offered. The quantity of vendors has jumped since deregulation in 1996 from a couple dozen to several thousand. Since the telecom shakeout that began in 2001 continues many of these businesses are attempting to stay afloat by getting as many customers as feasible with cheap products they assert to be T1. Do not be fooled!
Most of the frantic businesses are putting together substandard products they claim are really T1 products. Be wary of products with the funny titles like "burstable" and "reach". These items can be oversubscribed similar to a DSL product. This means the provider places a single T1 connection within a CO (Central Office) and gives T1 connections to three or 4 clients hoping they don't all use the resource at the same time. True, T1 access means dedicated access to the web and you invariably have access to 1.54Mbps.
Make sure the T1 product in Wapakoneta is really a "clearchannel" item and is not shared with different users. Also be certain you truly have an SLA or Service Level Agreement from your supplier. A SLA will specify the access you can receive and the penalty the service provider will pay if they don't supply this kind of service. If you need help, establishing the appropriate SLA gives you the help of an expert if you don't have one already. It's much better to pay a small price up front versus to enter a long term agreement with an inferior provider. You can also get authoritative assistance free of charge by just contacting among the many T1 brokers on the web.
