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DS1 lines are carried through two twisted pairs of copper wires. Virtually, all residences and businesses currently have two pairs of copper wires running to them. DS1 lines are capable of delivering 1.54 mbps simultaneously in both directions, one direction for each pair of copper lines. Because DS1 service is repeater driven (signal is digitally reestablished about every 6000 feet), it is available to virtually every business in the US. Most reputable providers include service level agreements (SLAs), which guarantee the reliability of the DS1 circuits they provide. There are several types of DS1. These include: full DS1 (1.54 Mbps), fractional T1 (commonly 128 Kbps to 1024 Kbps), burstable (less expensive for companies which normally do not need a full DS1, but at times due to peak work loads, need to burst to full DS1 bandwidth), integrated T1 (one DS1 line comprised of any combination the types of DS1 listed here), channelized DS1 (each of the 24 channels is assigned to a type of DS1), point-to-point T1 (direct private DS1 connection between to locations), data T1 (internet), dynamic integrated T1, local (local phone service), pri (voice service which includes many added features), and frame relay . Each of these types of DS1 has advantages over the others, depending on the specific needs of your company. Also, the availability of each is based on the offerings of each DS1 provider and geographic location. Every DS1 provider has different specialties related to geographic specialization and the services they offer. A provider is considered tier 1 if they are also the carrier, the owner of the facilities they offer. DS1 providers are considered tier 2 if they are the direct reseller of the services of one or more carriers. A provider who resells the services offered by tier 2 DS1 providers is considered tier 3. In most cases, the DS1 related services of a tier 2 provider are less expensive those offered by a tier 1 provider (carrier). However, whenever a customer can purchase directly from the tier 1 provider for a price that is similar or better than offered by a tier 2, it’s usually better to go with the tier one. This is because as the carrier (owner of the facilities), the tier 1 provider has direct access to all of their facilities. Although, almost all tier two providers offer SLAs to guarantee service levels, there is only so much they can do, if they do not have direct access to the facilities they are providing. This becomes important during installation, maintenance, and emergency outage situations. In these situations the tier two must coordinate with the tier one to resolve issues. As a general rule, the more entities that are involved, the greater are the coordination issues which can arise. Excessive coordination issues result in down time for the end user. Of course, in most cases, time is money. Tier 1 DS1 providers can commonly provide most forms of bandwidth, including most of the DS1 related services mentioned above, as well as bonded DS1, fractional ds3, full DS3, and often OC (optical carrier) level circuits as well. Usually, tier 2 providers are more specialized in their offerings (less variety), depending on their underlying contracts with the tier one provider. As the authorized sales agents for the top tier 1 and tier 2 providers in the country, we can provide real-time comparative availability and price quotes for your business. Just try the pricing tool at the top of this page. It is simple to use, free, and there is no obligation.
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