T1 Internet Access for Dummies
The T1 Internet Service continues to be around for more than 40 years but in no way have there been so many "flavors" offered. The amount of vendors has leaped amazingly since deregulation in 1996 from a couple dozen to several thousand. As the telecom shakeout that started in 2001 continues many of these businesses are attempting to stay afloat by getting as many clients as feasible with low-cost solutions they claim to be T1. Do not be fooled!
Lots of the desperate firms are putting together inferior products they claim are T1 solutions. Be wary of products using the funny titles similar to "burstable" and "reach". These products are oversubscribed much like a DSL product. This suggests the provider places a single T1 link in a CO (Central Office) and sells T1 connections to three or four customers hoping they don't all make use of the service at the same time. True, T1 access means dedicated usage of the Internet and you always have access to 1.54Mbps.
Make sure your T1 product in Lafayette is really a "clearchannel" item and isn't shared with other clients. Also be sure you truly have a powerful SLA or Service Level Agreement from your provider. A SLA will specify the access you can receive and the penalty the service supplier will pay in the event that they don't provide such service. If you need assistance, establishing the proper SLA gives you the help of an expert in case you don't have one already. It's much better to pay a small fee up front versus to enter a long term contract with an inferior carrier. You can also get expert assistance free of charge by just contacting one of the many T1 brokers on the web.
