| A T1 is a digital high-speed circuit designed specifically | | | | to 100 employees. This is for standard voice service. If |
| for business telephony solutions. There are many | | | | your business is phone intensive or if you operate a |
| advantages to using a voice T1 for your company. | | | | customer service center your needs may be |
| Consider these advantages when choosing voice T1 | | | | increased. To determine the proper amount of T1s for |
| service. | | | | your business you should first find out your current line |
| How a T1 Works | | | | usage. These reports are often available from your |
| A T1 consists of 24 digital channels. These channels | | | | phone vendor. An engineer can often assist you in |
| are flexible and can be used by anyone when they | | | | determining the correct amount of T1s for your |
| are free. A voice T1 can have both incoming and | | | | specific application. Once the T1 is installed there are |
| outgoing traffic on it. This means that you can convert | | | | usually various usage reports that you can request |
| your main telephone line to your T1 to provide more | | | | which will help you to see if you are getting the best |
| availability of incoming calls. The T1 channels are also | | | | use of your T1 and whether you need to add an |
| used for outgoing calls. The next available line is used | | | | additional T1. |
| for making a call. All the telephone users share these | | | | Speed |
| lines. This flexibility makes much better utilization of the | | | | A voice T1 transmits at a speed of 1.544 Mbps. This |
| lines. | | | | large bandwidth allows for instantaneous connections |
| Companies can also take advantage of DID (direct | | | | and clear, crisp sound. A T1 can carry more than |
| inward dial) service. Purchase a bank of DID numbers | | | | 190,000 bytes per second making it faster than most |
| and you can assign them to specific telephones in your | | | | standard modems. Any application can be run over a |
| company. For pennies a month your employees can | | | | T1. As new applications become available they too |
| enjoy the benefits of having their own phone number | | | | can use the T1. Almost all digital data flows over fiber |
| so that clients may reach them directly. This can also | | | | optic cables. The T1 may be brought to the location |
| take some of the burden off your attendant. The T1 | | | | using copper wires and then put on fiber cables to run |
| channels are used for both incoming and outgoing calls | | | | to your telephone room. The T1 is terminated onto a |
| as needed. When deciding on the amount of T1s | | | | smart jack. This in turn is extended into your telephone |
| needed always allow for 10% growth or more if you | | | | system where the T1 is configured in routing. |
| are aware of upcoming peaks in your service. | | | | Reliability and Service |
| Price | | | | T1 lines are very reliable. If there is a problem it can |
| Your company can save thousands of dollars per | | | | often be solved quickly by using remote diagnostics. A |
| year when you switch from regular voice lines to a T1. | | | | CSU (Customer Service Unit) can be used to help |
| The price of a T1 has come down recently partly due | | | | provide a test point between your office and the |
| to the fact that most central office locations have | | | | central office of origin. You will typically get standard |
| already converted to digital infrastructure. Pricing is also | | | | service during business hours that may include a |
| competitive as more vendors offer T1 products to | | | | technician visit to the site to resolve a problem. If your |
| their customers. Because of its configuration a T1 is | | | | business has non-standard hours or operates 24/7 |
| much more flexible than standard telephone lines and | | | | you will need to discuss service addition to your |
| allows for more usage over the same amount of | | | | contract. Additionally, you may be able to use backup |
| circuits. | | | | service in case of an outage, making the problem |
| A typical rule of thumb is to allow one T1 for each 50 | | | | transparent to your customers. |