Many businesses, when shopping for a high-speed Internet access service, are tempted to buy DSL service. They may look at the cost of a T1 and the cost of the DSL and make a decision based on cost alone. But, is that really wise? Yes, “Business DSL” can be found for under $100 per month and T1 costs range from just under $300 in metro areas to over $500 per month in less populated areas.
Does the under $100 DSL service really compare to T1 service? This Bloggist doesn’t think so. There are major differences between the two types of service. One area of difference is in the time to repair in the event of an outage. T1 service typically comes with time to repair guarantees. In most cases, the T1 providers will guarantee to repair an outage within 4 hours of notification. If not repaired within the guaranteed time frame, rebates are made to the customer. This elevates T1 repair to the top of the list when there might be lots of problems on the telephone network. With a DSL, however, outage restoration is typically handled on a “best effort” basis. There are no guarantees. The repair orders are handled basically on a first in, first out basis. Is that the way you want your vital Internet connection to be treated? If your customers or suppliers can’t email you because your DSL is down, wouldn’t that be a serious problem for your business?
A T1 also provides dedicated 1.544 Mbit/s service. It’s the same speed all of the time. It is 1.544 Mbit/s in both the upload and the download direction. DSLs typically have portions of the circuit that are ‘oversubscribed”. Another words, portions of your circuit are shared by other users. This can lead to slow downs during busy times.
DSL speeds can also be unsymmetrical. Typically, the upload speed is considerable slower than the download speed.
Business DSL may have a place for the home office or the smallest of businesses. But, if you want to present your business as being first class and always available to your customer, this Bloggist feels that a T1 should be seriously considered.
Instant T1 pricing for your location can be obtained at QuoteMyT1.com.
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