Guide to T1

Figure out if T1 Internet is the best choice for your company

Trying to choose between business DSL and T1 Internet access? Business DSL is best for a small, single office connecting over a standard phone line. But if you have dozens of users, or distance between offices, T1 access or even a T3 line should come into play. Some initial key differences: A T1 line is the same speed for both upload and download, and service agreements usually provide for nearly 100 percent uptime.

I recommend: Compare and contrast business DSL with a T1 line at Speakeasy, XO Communications, and Earthlink.  Find more business DSL service providers at Business.com.

Do you need a full T1 line or just fractional T1 access?

It's really impossible to say whether a full T1 line is the best fit for your company, or if fractional T1 access is a better deal. That's because how many users you have is not the same as how much traffic those users might represent. Hundreds of users doing only casual e-mail and web surfing can easily share a T1 line. Accordingly, it's possible to buy just part of a T1 line, known as "fractional" T1 access. But if they all start doing video training or downloading enormous files at once, that T1 line will get overrun.

I recommend: To get a sense of how fast business T1 Internet can be, run a speed test on your current connection. A speed test will show you where you stand using less than a T1 line for one computer. There's a good simple test at CNET, but by far the coolest looking test is at SpeedTest.net.

Is a T1 line enough for your business?

T1 is essentially a short way to say "really fast," since the next step up, a line 28 times faster and known as T3, is the literal backbone of the Internet. Without getting too technical, a business T1 line moves data at 1.544 megabits per second and is made up of 24 channels, each of which can be programmed by the Internet provider to carry voice calls or data.

I recommend: Shopping for a T1 line is pretty easy. Your local phone company almost certainly sells T1 access. But they're not the only choice. Some national T1 vendors include  Level 3, Covad, Global Crossing, Verio and Qwest.

The many flavors of T1 Internet access

It just wouldn't be technology without jargon. Your T1 line comes in a variety of types, including integrated, burstable and bonded T1 access. An integrated line combines voice and data (you decide how much of which). Burstable T1 Internet access provides extra bandwidth on demand, for which your company will pay only for the extra usage. A bonded business T1 line is a more-efficient marriage of two or more T1s hooked together.

I recommend: For a full array of voice, data and different speed packages, consider a telecom-based vendor, like AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint.