The first consideration is what services are needed and why. Many companies or individuals are looking for faster Internet service. Others may be limited in the quantity of data allowable per month by their current provider. This is specially true with satellite Internet service providers.
Second, consider which capabilities would be of most gain for your situation. Although not generally thought of, a T1 line can ordinarily provide data service, voice service, or both. It is important to consider how many users need to supported and how many phone lines are in use simultaneously. Also the types of traffic sent over the Internet and/or the number and duration of phone calls made are important factors. And if needing higher bandwidth applications including voice over IP (VOIP) or remote access to company or Internet resources using graphical interfaces, a T1 or even multiple T1's may be required. Can the T1 service provider support these needs adequately?
Another factor is security. If multiple locations need to be serviced, what configuration would be most advantageous? In some cases a private network would be best. Security technology or private lines may be used to create either "real" or "virtual" private networks between a company's locations. In a virtual private network (VPN), it might be possible, by using a single vendor's backbone, to keep all traffic off the public Internet.
Most companies or individuals looking for a T1 service provider are facing either slow or unreliable Internet connections. In either case the current Internet service provider (ISP) may be providing inadequate service Normally, a T1 service provider will provide a service level agreement (SLA), with guaranteed data rates, latency, and reliability.
For instance, many DSL providers will be able to offer an upgrade to a T1. This could be important if there is time remaining on an existing service contract for DSL or cable. Of the major DSL providers, including AT&T, Verizon and Qwest, this may be a consideration, although major vendor T1 pricing is usually not as competitive as lesser know companies. There are many little known T1 providers that provide equal or better service as well know larger companies.
Some companies already have a T1 for either data service or voice or possibly both. Have current service levels been adequate? How has the vendor responded or proactively taken care of outages and keeping all parties notified of down time? If choosing a new vendor, how is the new vendor's SLA different or better?
For the upgraded levels of service, the pricing goes up considerably, over DSL, cable or satellite Internet service providers. For instance, current DSL or cable pricing starts as low as $12.95 per month. T1 service providers usually charge about $400 per month on average. In large cities, the rates can be as low as around $250 at present
There are many factors to consider when selecting the most appropriate T1 Service Provider. A telecommunications broker can advise which T1 provider is best according to case-by-case company requirements, as well assist with determining requirements.
Jim Green owns a <a href="http://t1wizard.com">Telecommunications Brokerage</a> and advises individuals and SMB's on the best <a href="http://jimgreen.us/how-to-select-the-best-internet-service-provider/">T1 Service Provider</a> to meet their needs.
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