Tips on Buying 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 advantages of T1 even if you’re not seeking for a complete T1? A significant number of customers consider the largest factor in their choice is reliability. You must think about it too if reliability is vital to the types of software you run over your network connection. If you are currently using DSL for your internet connection, you must think about replacing it with fractional T1. DSL is a quick and cost effective method of acquiring high speed bandwidth in Rush Springs, however it is not intended to handle commercial applications or large numbers of users as are T1 connections.
A drawback with fractional T1 service is the price. Despite the fact that you don’t have a full T1, you wind up paying quite a bit more than you did for your DSL connection. This is because of the fee schedule of T1 pricing. A T1 line is established by providing a "loop" or wire from the user's building 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 provided by 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 fraction 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 the best way to get dedicated service into your office. Once you have fractional service, upgrading 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 important services, think about reliability. 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 vital. 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 communication lines can be thought of as critical. An important connection can be viewed much like a lifeline, without which your business would be negatively impacted.
