Internet T1 | EasyT1 Blog

Archive for the ‘Internet T1’ Category

What You Should Know About Internet T1 and Internet T3 Connections

Along with the advancements in modern technology have come a great number of ways for people to connect to the Internet. Whether it’s by a snail’s-pace 56k dial-up connection (the slowest possible)or high-speed connections, such as cable, DSL, T1, T3, etc., there is an available solution for every size and type of business.

In this article we’re going to cover Internet T1 and Internet T3 connections. Internet T1 and Internet T3 connections are popular among businesses because they offer a dedicated connection to the Internet and provide network access for multiple users without slowing down the connection speed. Another benefit of T-line connections is that they are “always on,” meaning they provide Internet access 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The download/upload connection speed of an Internet T1 like is 1.54Mb per second. Many small and mid-sized businesses employ T1 connections due to the fact that they can run a number of enterprise-based services, including VoIP, high-speed Internet and long distance calling simultaneously over a single circuit. In addition, Internet T1 connections also permit users to have static IP addresses – which are typically not available with cable and DSL customers – that are necessary to operate company websites.

However, these benefits increase the cost of Internet T1 and Internet T3 lines, making them frequently more expensive than a standard DSL or cable connection. While a large factor when dealing with the price of a T-line connection has to do with your business’s location, with static IP address features and dedicated lines, an Internet T1 connection can run anywhere from a few hundred dollars to around a thousand dollars – per month. And while this might not be the most economical choice for a home-based office, it can be a worthwhile investment for many businesses.

For businesses that handle high volumes of traffic, require the transmission of large data packets, and/or those that have a large user network that their database will host (such as large enterprises and universities) would benefit the most from an Internet T3 connection. To put it into perspective, an Internet T3 line speed is equivalent to the transmission speed generated by 750 dial-up (56k) modems!

The most apparent differences between Internet T1 and Internet T3 services are the data transfer speeds and pricing. An Internet T3 connection can run as much as 30 times faster than an Internet T1 line. Nevertheless, with the increase in speed comes an increase in price; and T3 connections generally cost thousands of dollars per month.

Want to learn more? Give one of our professional account managers a call today!

Tags: Internet T1, Internet T3
Posted in Internet T1, Internet T3 | No Comments »

Internet T1 and Internet T3 lines

Frequently implemented in some of today’s most successful businesses, Internet T1 and Internet T3 lines are high-speed connections made of either fiber optic or copper cables. Typically employed to provide broadband Internet access, T1 and T3 lines can also be used for telephone purposes. Because Internet T1 and Internet T3 lines offer a reliable, “always on” connection that is capable of transmitting large quantities of data day-in and day-out, they are frequently implemented by businesses of all types and sizes.

When it comes to speed, Internet T1 lines operate at speeds of 1.5Mb per second, and can accommodate as many as 24 users working at 64Kb per second, making them popular among small and medium sized businesses. Internet T3 lines operate at speeds of approximately 45Mb per second, making them the ideal solution for larger enterprises, businesses with a large number of users, or those that require a high amount of bandwidth for their daily operations. In addition, Internet T3 lines provide an adequate amount of bandwidth to host multiple high-traffic/high-volume websites.

Currently, Internet T1 and Internet T3 broadband connections are among the most widespread ways that businesses connect their Local Area Network to the rest of the world.

While they might not best the most economical solutions for the majority of start-up or home offices, Internet T1 and Internet T3 connections allow businesses to surf the web at lightning-fast speeds and deploy mission-critical applications (such as audio conferencing or web conferencing) while still being able to talk on the phone simultaneously. Moreover, depending on the connection speed you select, a number of users can download files at exceedingly high speeds without fear, because T1 and T3 connections are not only reliable, but also offer increased security.

Due to the fact that Internet T1 and Internet T3 lines are premium services, their prices can be a bit costly – and are typically are more expensive than DSL or cable – which is why they are generally employed by well established businesses. However, T line connections provide exceptionally reliable, high-quality, cutting-edge communications services. Furthermore, with the high bandwidth capabilities your receive by employing an Internet T1 or Internet T3 connection you can dramatically enhance your business’s productivity levels, which leads to an increase in revenue.

Are you interested in learning more about Internet T1 or Internet T3 services? Give one of our professional account managers a call today!

Tags: Internet T1, Internet T3
Posted in Internet T1, Internet T3 | No Comments »

SMBs, Cloud Computing, and UCaaS – Oh My!

Due to faster adoption rates, it’s no secret that the majority of vendors have selected small and medium-sized businesses – and not large enterprises – as the target customer base for their cloud computing and Unified Communications solutions. According to a study that was conducted recently by CompaniesandMarket.com, in the next 6 years the market for Unified Communications is predicted to expand close to 33% CAGR. However, after being compared against the projected 83% growth in small and medium-sized businesses spending on IP Telephony in this year alone, it isn’t even a blip on the radar.

The reasoning behind the rate of adoption for hosted and IP Telephony solutions lie much in how small and medium-sized business owners tackle both business and technology operations. Avoiding the need to purchase expensive software and hardware is an extremely attractive aspect for smaller businesses. And due to the fact that most small and medium-sized businesses employ cloud solutions for tracking sales, managing customer databases, emailing, and many other essential business functions, the question whether to add Unified Communications as a Service to the mix is not a tough one.

More than anything, a small or medium-sized business owner’s chief concern is generally operations improvement. They are interested in learning how to put their best, most professional foot forward, and how to appear larger than they are in order to compete with the big dogs. As a result, the music-on-hold feature is the most sought after and utilized feature of a smaller business’s hosted communications solution.

According to the VP of sales and marketing for Broadvox, David Byrd, the key essentials related to Unified Communications as a Service include:

Reliability
Conferencing
Cost-efficiency
Responsiveness
User-friendliness
Productivity enhancements
Integrated features and apps
Integrated communications for mobile staff

It should be noted that while an average of 90% of large companies employ this technology in one way or another, that number only embodies about 5% of their IT applications or services. Simply put, they continue to search for confidence that hosted solutions are secure and capable of tracking their future needs while being incorporated into their current business process. Until that happens, on-premise based services will carry on being the preferred option for large companies in the years ahead.

If you’re interested in learning more about one of these solutions for your business, contact one of our professional account managers today!

Posted in Internet T1 | No Comments »

Level 3 Communications and Global Crossing Merger – Waiting for FCC Approval

Back in April, Level 3 Communications – one of the world’s six Tier 1 Internet operators – announced a $3 billion agreement to purchase Global Crossing, a provider of fully integrated and interoperable IP and legacy services. Once complete, the acquisition would produce a company with connections to over 70 countries and ownership over networks in more than 50 countries, which Level 3 claims would allow it to better serve governments, carriers, content providers and businesses throughout Europe as well as North and Latin America.

Until recently, XO Communications strongly protested the merger, claiming it would give rise to a “global colossus” in the market that would cause service quality to drop and prices to sky rocket – something that would clearly not be in the public’s interest. Randolph Nicklas, the chief technology officer for XO filed a declaration with the Federal Communications Commission that alleged the proposed acquisition would be a catalyst for Level 3 to terminate Internet peering deals with additional providers of Tier 1 networks and in its place stipulate payment to exchange traffic.

However, in a message that was recorded with the Federal Communications Commission in early August, it was noted that Level 3 was prepared to amend its arrangement with XO because it believes that “XO now meets, and is willing to embrace, the framework of Level 3’s developing peering policy.”

Thankfully for Level 3, an additional letter filed last month with the Federal Communications Commission reports that XO now feels the acquisition is in the public’s interest; but when pressed for answers, outside counsel for XO – Thomas Cohen – declined to go into detail on the agreement.

As a result, both Global Crossing and Level 3 are now asking the Federal Communications Commission – who is nearing the half-way mark on the 180 day timeline for reviewing the contract – to approve the merger due to the fact that there is nothing left for the agency to investigate. Representatives for the two companies had informed the Federal Communication Commission in August that “postponement in attaining authorization for the matter “would result in significant financial and other burdens,” but refused to remark on the reason why or whether the Federal Communications Commission specified a timeline to rule on the acquisition.

Outside counsel for Level 3 also wrote the Federal Communications Commission, adding that the two companies trust that there aren’t any outstanding barriers “to the prompt grant of the Applicants applications.”

Posted in General, Internet T1, XO | No Comments »

Verizon Strike is Over but New Deal Negotiations Are Not

The Verizon Communications strike that began on August 6^th has ended almost as quickly as it began – and without any major resolution. The duo of labor unions that represent 45,000 Verizon employees, the Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, have called off the strike after two weeks, even though they have not yet ironed out a new contract, leaving many workers confused, upset, and wondering what all the hubbub was for.

Throughout the strike, Verizon has stated that the negotiations were on-going, and now both sides agree that enough progress has been made to remove employees from the picket lines and put them back at their desks (or out in the field) by this Tuesday morning. While enough common ground was reached in regards to job security, benefits, expense structure, etc. there are still some big hot-button issues left up in the air at the moment that will require delicate compromise from both sides of the table, it’s a positive sign that both are actively seeking a fair resolution.

For the time being, Verizon’s union employees will go back to work under the same expired contract that was up earlier this month until the new contract is put in place. Due to the fact that the negotiations are on-going, there is no specific time limit for instituting a new cooperative bargaining agreement.

Both the unions and Verizon are declaring a win on their side; however some union employees see it as a stalemate. A Verizon cable splicer, Jeff Rafos, recently told the Wall Street Journal, “What was the point of all this? Why give up our paychecks just to start talks all over again?” The truth is, until the new deal is reached and agreed upon by both parties, it’s hard to tell what the point of all this really was.

Verizon Communication’s executive VP of human resources, Marc Reed, stated that the company decided to end the strike “because we believe that is in the best interest of our customers and our employees,” and went on to say that Verizon will “look forward to negotiating the important issues that are integral to the future health of Verizon’s wireline business.”

Meanwhile, Verizon customers have arguably suffered as much as anyone after it was reported that acts of “sabotage” by union workers have not only increased call center support wait times and service repair wait times, but the deliberate attacks on their network have affected paramedics, law enforcement, hospitals, and other first responders.

Posted in Internet T1, Verizon | No Comments »

Attention Verizon Customers, Verizon Workers are on Strike

After unsuccessful negotiations, Verizon union workers say they have had enough, and are now on strike. Approximately 45,000 Northeast wireline unit workers of the two unions involved – the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the Communications Workers of America – believe that Verizon Communications wants too many concessions, and have refused the company’s proposals to make employees pay more for healthcare, change work rules, and cut benefits and pensions.

Workers say that in this economy they cannot afford to contribute more for their health benefits. Verizon claims that the wireline business has been waning for the past decade, and that it is merely trying to keep costs in check and stay competitive as more customers decide to cut-the-cord and move to wireless services by having union workers pay for healthcare upfront as other non-union employees do.

The Communications Workers of America however, isn’t falling for the ‘poor Verizon is only trying to save money’ bit, blaming it on corporate greed and noting that over the past four years the company paid out $258 million to its top five executives after raking in $19.5 billion in profits. Edward Mooney, VP of CWA District 2-13 has said that his union workers “are determined to fight back against Verizon’s corporate greed and bargain a fair contract.”

In regards to negotiations, legislative and political director for the CWA, Bob Master stated in a recent interview that Verizon is adamant about “gutting health care,” and that he has “never seen bargaining this unproductive in 25 years.”

The Communications Workers of America and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers represent just about 45,000 and 13,000 workers in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions, respectfully. As a result of the strike, the burden now falls on non-union workers that are called on from other states, such as North Carolina. With the least amount of Verizon employees that are represented by a union, newsobserver.com reported that North Carolina has roughly 200 of its 1,800 workers at one location on standby to travel to New York as well as other states affected by the strike in order to pick up the slack. The non-union workers will fill in a number of various positions for the time being.

Although the last time they voted to authorize a strike was in 2008, the last time CWA actually went through with it was back in 2000. And while it’s clear all sides are looking for a resolution, as of now it is difficult to determine just what the end result will be.

Posted in General, Internet T1, Verizon | No Comments »

Business Mobile VoIP Use Is Expected to Soar Over the Next Five Years

Mobile Voice over Internet Protocol (aka Mobile VoIP) acts as an extension of Voice over Internet Protocol wherein voice traffic is transmitted over the available broadband connection (either Wi-Fi, 3G, GPRS or EDGE) so you can make IP-based calls from a mobile phone.

According to recent figures from In-Stat, a research and consulting firm with over 30 years of experience, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology is quickly advancing from fixed-line to mobile.

As it turns out, the ever-growing number of businesses employing mobile VoIP is producing considerable opportunity for suppliers of gateway equipment as well as their partners. In-Stat believes that it will become so popular, that by 2015 the use of mobile VoIP by companies will skyrocket to 83 million lines, and the amount spent on it will surpass a whopping $6 billion!

For the most part, In-Stat discovered that over the next five years the number of business mobile VoIP customers will likely increase tenfold, with the majority driven by mid-sized businesses and enterprises using IP PBX. And while In-Stat did not go into great detail about mobile VoIP operators, they did state that they do pose an adoption barrier, but could also turn out to be significant promoters of the service. Vonage, Verizon Wireless, Skype and Clearwire are just a few of the companies that are already part of the mobile VoIP sector.

In-Stat market analyst, Amy Cravens, stated that it wasn’t until recently that businesses began implementing mobile VoIP, and that “one of the key benefits of mobile VoIP for enterprises is extending desk-phone functionality to mobile devices.”

To put it simply, mobile VoIP customers have the ability to allow wireless devices to deliver more than just voice services (think instant messaging, e-mail, and collaboration) and can therefore essentially use their cell phones as an extension of their business desk phone.

There are multiple advantages to adopting mobile VoIP that make it a wise choice, including:

Better coverage where reception is frequently lost when using cell phones
A simple implementation path
Cost-efficient international long distance
The fact that you can make use of the benefits of IP-based communication features
The ability to essentially bring your desktop phone with you – wherever you go

For more information on how mobile VoIP can help improve your business, contact one of our professional account managers today!

Posted in Internet T1, voip | No Comments »

NetInterCall Integrates with Microsoft Lync Online

For those of you that might be a bit unfamiliar with the cloud, let me back up a bit. There are countless definitions and explanations about what the cloud is, but when it comes down to it, the cloud is the Internet. Yes, it really is that simple! Today, the popularity of cloud-based services is on the rise – and there are many reasons why. For starters, employing cloud-based services eliminates your need to purchase or maintain hardware or software, and because you are always using the latest version, there is no need to fret over making sure you have the latest upgrade for each service you use. Furthermore, cloud-based solutions can be employed in any location, and they eliminate the need for your dedicated IT staff to manage your solution which allows them to focus on other mission-critical issues – what’s not to love?

And when it comes to cloud services, InterCall is the cherry on top of the cloud-based services sundae. For over 20 years businesses have been safely and securely leveraging InterCall’s conferencing solutions over their reliable network.

Today marks the launch of Microsoft Office 365. Another leap into the cloud for InterCall, Microsoft Office 365 is a subscription-based service that blends the Office applications you are most likely already familiar with (such as Outlook Exchange, PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Office desktop suite, etc.) with cloud-based versions of collaboration services Lync Online and SharePoint Online.

This launch is special because of the unique value that InterCall brings to Office 365. If you are wondering why your business should partner with InterCall for Office 365, there are three main benefits to consider:

Experience – as the world’s leading conferencing provider, InterCall offers everything from personalized training and adoption programs to more involved assistance such as professional migration services. In addition, along with the multiple certifications InterCall holds, they are also a Microsoft Silver Certified Partner and national systems integrator
Support – InterCall provides worldwide 24/7 tier 1 and tier 2 customer support with skilled agents that are experienced in all aspects of Office 365, as well as consultations and technical pre-sales assistance. InterCall also offers recorded training sessions available online free of charge
Features – InterCall’s robust list of features includes:
- Support at the touch of a button on your telephone keypad
- The ability to mute/un-mute lines
- Customers can dial-in to your meeting, or you can dial-out to them
- Connect to your meeting via multiple devices
- Lock/un-lock your meeting to ensure complete privacy
- Schedule your conferences simply and easily through Outlook
- Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and/or Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) integration, including mixed recording

Posted in Conferencing, Intercall, Internet T1, Microsoft, Tier-1 Carrier Networks, voip | No Comments »

SMBs find Opportunity in SIP Trunking

Typically, a traditional company might have a local Public Switched Telephone Network gateway, a line dedicated to routing voice calls to the outside – typically a PRI – and an Internet circuit dedicated for Web and data use – often a T1. Generally the data circuit is underutilized; however, by using Voice over Internet Protocol you eliminate the need for a PRI altogether, leaving only the T1 circuit and the necessary number of SIP trunks. SIP trunks save those same businesses $700 to $1000 per month, by letting those with an IP PBX connect internal data and voice traffic to the outside Public Switched Telephone Network via Internet Protocol.

Another benefit of SIP trunking is that they are often sold as concurrent calls, allowing you to purchase in increments of one – something very hard to do with a PRI, and definitely comes in handy for businesses that opt to grow incrementally.

Steven Johnson, the president of SIP traffic and firewall technology company, Ingate Systems, believes that like unified communications, SIP trunking has potential to become a gateway to more enhanced aspects of Voice over Internet Protocol. Johnson also states that there will be significant future growth from adjacent applications, “As people see the value of SIP trunking, and as they recognize the power of the other features included in their PBX, they will start to do more with the SIP they have installed.” He added that over time, worldwide SIP connectivity amid companies will equate to more peer-to-peer traffic, and no longer require a service provider for making calls.

Most companies have some kind of Internet Protocol communication need – whether its wireless IP phones that work off of a Wide Area Network, a mobile worker using a softphone connected to a PBX, or a telecommuter using an IP phone as an extension off of the PBX. According to Toshiba’s product marketing manager, Jon Nelson, “These are all really practical and usable solutions to most people, and once they discover these are things that are out there, and they’re already converging with an IP PBX and SIP trunks, there’s a lot of interest there.”

For more information on how SIP trunking can help your SMB, contact one of our professional account managers today!

Posted in Internet T1, Tier-1 Carrier Networks, voip | No Comments »

Cloud Computing via Ethernet Over Copper

Cloud computing is on the rise and is expected to bring with it an ever-increasing need for bandwidth. According to Markets and Markets, a global market research and consulting company, world-wide spending on cloud computing will more than triple today’s current rate in 2015, bringing it to a whopping $121.1 billion. Given the continued economic frailty, the majority of companies will be on the hunt for the most scalable and economically efficient solution possible. Thankfully, Ethernet over copper fits the bill.

Leading carriers, including TelePacific Communications and PAETEC have already sold more Ethernet over copper circuits in the first quarter of this year than they did in all of 2010. XO Communications and MegaPath are seeing a dramatic rise as well, with MegaPath expecting its Ethernet over copper sales to match T1 sales this year.

While they can’t completely contribute the higher numbers to cloud deployments, the carriers do expect their Ethernet over copper revenue to flourish as more companies house data archives, communications solutions, software apps and more in the cloud. That’s because – when compared to the alternatives – Ethernet is much less expensive, averaging between 40% and 50% less than bonded T1s, but still provides the high-quality transport needed for cloud-based services.

Moreover, escalating throughput simply entails adding an additional copper pair. TelePacific’s senior VP of strategy, Ken Bisnoff, has said that for a mere fifty dollars per month, “a 3Mbps T1 Internet access customer can double bandwidth to 6 Mbps.”

The popularity of Ethernet over copper for cloud connections continues to climb as it is capable of supporting more and more bandwidth. To put it in perspective, for the price of bonded T1s offering 3 Mbps, a company that employs Ethernet over copper can receive 40 Mbps. What’s even better is that greater speeds are on their way. At the beginning of May, PAETEC announced its network had been enabled with 100 Mbps Ethernet over copper that will be available for customers provided the distance between their location and the local service office is not too great.

PAETEC’s president of fiber services and national accounts, Clint Heiden, is excited about everything Ethernet over copper has to offer – especially an expanded customer base. According to Heiden, locations that previously maxed out at 20 Mbps circuits – or couldn’t get service at all – “can now support up to 40 Mbps at shorter distances.”

In addition to the above mentioned benefits, Ethernet over copper is easy to install (with turn up possible in as few as 20 days), and can be used for several legs of a network because it works with fiber counterparts.

Posted in Ethernet Service, Internet T1, TelePacific, XO | No Comments »