DIA (Dedicated Internet Access) Lines or PtP (Point-to-Point) or MPLS Data Line Service
Data (Internet Access & Networks)
If you need Internet Access better than a DSL connection, service can be provided via various technologies: Cable, Satellite, Microwave, Wireless, T1, Fast Ethernet, DS3, GigE, and OCx line service. If your business is critically dependent on this service being up and maintaining a consistent bandwidth, you problably want to spend the extra money for T1, Fast Ethernet, DS3, GigE, or OCx DIA service or MPLS service. Before and into the beginning of this century, T1 service (including the higher capacity DS3 service and OCx services) was the choice for organizations that required reliable, bandwidth consistent service. It’s now being replaced by ethernet service delivered over fiber or a service such as EoC - Ethernet over Copper. Although many think of T1 service as being a legacy offering, there are still many locations where ethernet is not yet available, especially locations remote from populated areas.
Voice
In many cases, organizations find that a cost effective solution is Bundled or Integrated T1 or ethernet service. An Integrated service is set up to use part of the circuit bandwidth for phone service and the rest of the circuit bandwidth for Internet Access and/or network service. Typically Integrated circuits are implemented with DBA (Dynamically Bandwidth Allocation). DBA allows any bandwidth set aside for voice to be used for data for each phone path not in use. For those needing 8 or more phone lines, often the savings in phone costs can pay for the Internet Access. You can see which Integrated and Bundled options are available for your location at the T1 Real-Time Line Service Quote site by choosing "Integrated (Bundled Data/Voice)" on the drop down menu.
Networks
If you are connecting two or more locations, you could do it via the public Internet using VPN. However, for many business requirements, in the past it has been found to be better to have a Point-to-Point (PtP) circuit or MPLS service. These are discussed further down on this page.
An even better choice for today’s organizations is to use SD-WAN. Contact us for more info on SD-WAN. We will help you decide if it is a good choice for your situation, and we will guide you to which of the numerous SD-WAN products best fits your needs. For those organizations where security is a top priority, a Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) model should be considered.
How to Decide on the Best Data Circuit(s) for Your Needs
We will help you decide which Internet Service Provider and which plan best suits your needs and your budget. For a rough idea of what is available, visit this chart of general pricing for various types of internet connections. For pricing for a specific location and for placing orders for DSL, Cable, T1, DS3, Fast Ethernet, OC3, GIG-E, and OCx, you can obtain quotes by starting on the T1 quote page. Network pricing is more complex to calculate. Contact us for assistance in deciding on the best network(s) for your business.
For more information on various types of T1 circuits, see the T1, DS1, T3, DS3, OC3 and Dedicated Service Glossary. For explanations of Telecom abbreviations, see Telecommunications Abbreviations Explained.
Ethernet for distributing bandwidth is becoming very popular and has replaced T1 service in most Metropolitan areas. For more descriptive information on Ethernet options, see Explanation of Ethernet options. The number of buildings wired for Ethernet is rapidly increasing. If you request a Fast Ethernet or GigE quote, we can show you, in real time, the nearest Ethernet connected building(s) to the location that you enter. If you wish, we will then discuss pricing info if Ethernet is available in or near your building. In any case, we will be glad to present you with the most cost effective options to fit your bandwidth requirements.
If you run a DSL quote and it is clear that DSL is not available at your location, our quote system will show you Cable and/or Satellite options. Historically, Satellite was only used for remote locations where neither DSL nor Cable was available, and T1 service was cost prohibitive. However, with improved technology which has increased the reliability and available bandwidth of satellite service, satellite service is now being used more extensively. Satellite service is still used as an emergency backup because of its diversity, however, combined with SD_WAN it can be part of an extremely reliable, high quality aggregated pipe.
How to Determine if a PtP or MPLS service will best suit your needs
We will help you decide which Carrier and which plan best suits your needs and your budget. Our automated systems can not always give you real-time quotes for PtP and MPLS. However, they are very close. If you enter the address and a landline phone number for one of the locations at the T1 or DS3 link above, you will see that you can choose VPN or PtP on the Broadband page. Although currently we might not send you a Real-time quote, we will contact you shortly at the contact number you provide and we will obtain the info needed to develop a quote for you.
See Telecom Abbreviations for brief explanations of PtP and MPLS. A PtP circuit is a private line between two locations. MPLS is a service between two or more locations that is a modern replacement for IP, ATM and/or Frame Relay. MPLS allows appropriate priority to be given when various types of data are transmitted between the locations; voice, video, application (for example, Citrix) and/or other data services can be accomodated with priorities assigned for suitable handling.
