The T1 line can handle 24 simultaneous voice calls or a high speed Internet connection speed of 1.54 Mbps. A T3 line can handle 672 simultaneous voice calls or provide a high speed Internet connection of 45 Mbps. The T3 is typically used by high end data and voice customers as it is the equivalent of 28 T1 lines or 672 voice lines.
T1 Lines and Cable Internet services are both designed to offer high speed connections, but the T1 line offers synchronous (same upload and download bandwidth) speeds while Cable is ansynchronous (different upload and download bandwidth - normally large download bandwidth and small upload bandwidth making it extremely unreliable for serving content). T1 Lines also offer a higher level of service quality, up time, faster repair times and fewer end user restrictions. Cable is normally a "best possible" offering, meaning there are few or no service guarantees. Cable providers also tend to over subscribe their lines, leading to increased network congestion during peak usage periods. A full T1 line has guaranteed bandwidth.
A T1 Line and DSL connection both offer bandwidth at high speed but there are factors that greatly differentiate them from one another. These factors are price and realiability. A DSL connection has a low price and is far less reliable than a T1 connection. A T1 is more expensive than a DSL connection but is also much more reliable. When needing a T1, the biggest factor is reliability when uptime is critical to the applications run over your connection. DSL is a quick and cost effective method of acquiring high speed bandwidth however it is not intended to support commercial applications or large numbers of users like a T1 connection.
A T1 line is perfect for small and medium sized businesses needing an internet service provider for 20 to 50 internet users. A T1 line is a 24 channel circuit providing an internet connection straight from the broadband provider backbone. This makes a T1 line a very stable and reliable broadband connection. Depending on your location(distance from the nearest Central Office) and T1 provider availability, your full T1 service pricing can range anywhere from $350 to $1,200 monthly.
