There is no disputing how T1 phone lines have been a great boon for business people. They have played an essential role in supporting the communications network that lies at the heart of contemporary commerce.
Recognizing the value of T1 is one thing, but staying with it because it has served us so well in the past does not necessarily make sound business sense.
Now technological developments have effectively left T1 behind as a proverbial dinosaur of broadband services delivery.
It is time to consider how other broadband connection options could be of greater business benefit. However, first of all a brief introduction to the T1 lines we have become so dependent upon.
Why T1 Lines Became so Popular
A prime reason why TI lines came into such widespread use is their capability to support 24 digitalized voice channels, or data transmission rates of 1.544 megabits per second.
To better appreciate what this actually involves, think of the modem attached to your home computer and imagine a data transfer route with sixty times its capacity.
Although some T1 lines still use copper the majority of them now use fiber-optic. Thus they have not remained technologically stagnant but adaptable to using new materials and other advances.
TI broadband lines also offer the advantages of high reliability. Since the T1 line connects directly to the Internet Service Provider, connectivity is constant and disruptions are very few.
With one T1 line able to support hundreds of online browsers they can also probably still answer the Internet leads of most small businesses. TI lines reach their maximum levels of efficiency when handling between twenty and fifty online workstations.
With all these positive points the T1 lines have in their favor there should be every reason in the world for businesses to continue hosting broadband services along T1 lines.
Yet, there is a distinct trend for businesspeople to move away from T1 lines to Cloud-based and other new technology focused broadband solutions.
It is not a case of them suddenly finding T1 is a problematic technology but rather their realizing that newer broadband solutions have major economics advantages without requiring you to accept any service quality reductions.
The T1 Line Sky Starts to Cloud Over
The principal challenge to the predominance of T1 lines has come from Cloud-based or VoIP broadband solutions. VoIP offers businesspeople a versatility that standard T1 lines cannot match. Companies are drawn by the possibilities of making and receiving calls from any device with a broadband connection.
In this way you can implement a complete communications solution that unifies land lines, cellular phones and employees at business premises or sometimes sited at a home workstation.
By freeing employees from the need to conduct communications from a single location the Cloud offers firms the flexibility and speed of reaction that today’s fast-paced business environment demands.
Successfully Handling the Challenges of Rising Broadband Capacity Demands
The increasing importance of visual communications is another factor that encourages business people to investigate solutions that offer improved broadband delivery beyond that currently available via T1 lines.
The days when business was conducted primarily through regularly phone calls are long behind us.
Today video conference calls, file transfer and other high-broadband consuming activities are essentials of business life.
At the same time that heavier demands are being made on broadband capacity, expectations for faster Internet services continue to rise.
One of the most frustrating experiences in today’s office is waiting for ages for that file to be sent or arrive. Many offices find that Cloud-based communications systems do a much better job of meeting these requirements.
Just consider how IP traffic has increased by an amazing 800% over the last half decade, and a further 300% increase is anticipated over the next five years. The experience and decision making of other businesses certainly cannot be ignored.
It is also important to keep in mind how business broadband requirements are regularly changing.
A communications system built around T1 lines does not provide you with the flexibility you need to adjust to these demand changes relatively effortlessly. Many companies have found that IP-based solutions routed over fiber better equip them to meet with their bandwidth demands.
These IP lines can easily handle bandwidth of 1 Gbps and beyond, and are also easily customized to meet a company’s very specific requirements.
Cost Factors Become a Major T1 Disadvantage
Today, probably the most powerful consideration driving companies away from broadband along T1 lines are costs. Over the last ten years the prices of cable modem, broadband DSL and other alternative solutions have fell significantly while at the same time their speeds have increased.
During this period T1 line prices have not significantly declined and so they are at a great competitive disadvantage.
The very nature of T1 lines also limit their ability to match the economies offered by these alternative solutions.
For example, the costs of maintaining and improving T1 line-base infrastructures can be significant. This heavy cost is eliminated if you select a cloud-based broadband solution. Although there are initial installation expenses with IP systems the operating and maintenance expenses over the long-run still deliver valuable savings.
Recent improvements in VoIP technologies have largely removed concerns over poor quality or disrupted calls sometimes associated with earlier VoIP implementations.
Since so many companies conduct their business over international boundaries, attractive low global call prices have become another factor tempting them to choose broadband VoIP.
Navigating Between T1 Broadband and its Alternatives
We all have a natural inclination to stick with the familiar but the policy of inaction is often not the best policy to follow in a business context.
So much is at stake when it comes to choosing a business broadband solution. Every businessperson should do their own cost-benefit calculation to find the most economical way to obtain the amount of broadband they require.
In addition to current requirements, estimated future requirements ought to be taken into account. When all the factors discussed above are weighed up the likelihood seems to be that Web-based broadband offerings will win out.
