The Secrets of Fractional T1
If you can not afford a full T1 line, you need to consider a partial T1 line instead. Why not get all the extra advantages of T1 even if you’re not looking for a full T1? A significant number of customers consider the largest factor in their choice is reliability. You must consider it too if reliability is critical 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 inexpensive method of acquiring high speed bandwidth in Woodstock, however it is not intended to handle commercial applications or high volumes of traffic as are T1 connections.
One drawback with fractional T1 service is the price. Even though you won't have a full T1, you wind up 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 cable 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 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 paid 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 fifty percent of the cost 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 office. Once you have fractional service, upgrading to full service is easy. Fractional service usually comes in 256Kbps increments from 256Kbps all the way 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 significant when customers or employees depend on your connection for immediate responses. If your clients use your connection to access your databases or your server or the Internet, then reliability of your connection 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 communication lines can be thought of as critical. A critical connection can be viewed much like a lifeline, without which your company would be in trouble.
