Finding The Right T1 Service
Looking for a T1 service provider is a tedious process. There are several carriers and so there are also many sales pitches you have to sit through just to get a piece of information. An independent agent can help reduce the number of conversations you have with carriers by asking you about your specific needs and searching through multiple providers to get the service that is right for you. The agent helps steer clear of the bias you will receive when speaking with one vendor as the agent will be paid no matter which service you choose. If you happen to be searching for a dedicated voice T1, the agent will give you quotes for dedicated voice T1's for multiple service providers.
An agent can get you the information you are looking for without the pushy approach of a single carrier there is a delay between the time you have your conversation and the time you get your information. Agents and brokers can sometimes take several days to search the providers, send e-mails and get responses to your specific needs. The advantage, however, is that you do not have to do the searching you can go about you business and have someone else do this free of charge.
While this was not possible a few months ago, we have found a service that can offer real time information on many T1 service providers. A real time quote gives you information immediately. There is no waiting to find pricing. Simply enter your information and compare pricing immediately. Real time pricing will do for telecommunications shopping what Expedia and Travelocity did for travel. So why wait? If you are searching for a T1 line make sure you use a broker that can help you with your search in real time.
With the drop in the economy since 1999 came a drop in usage of network capacity. This spells opportunity for broadband buyers. Carriers are bending over backward trying to get people to use their networks. A few years ago, hardware was something you had to worry about yourself. Today, most service providers are willing to throw in a t1 router valued from $750 to $3,000 with your new service contract. Providers have become extremely competitive and one of the ways they are trying to attract customers is by making the start-up process as simple as possible.
Service providers have tried many different methods of attracting customers and simplifying the start-up process. Credit checks have been simplified, application paperwork been reduced in size, and there are increasingly discounts available for new customers. The free router when from a special promotion offered to increase month end sales to becoming a standard part of the product offering.
If you are in the market for a new T1 service be aware that you should be able to get a router with your service. If the provider does not offer this service, do not be afraid to ask for it and if they do offer it make sure you get the best router possible. Remember, it is a buyers market and you will likely be able to add on a few "extra" when you get your new service. The best way to ensure that you are not leaving anything on the table is use a broker who knows the service providers and knows how to get you as much as possible.
If you are searching for a good t1 connection, it is helpful to know that many telecom companies built out their infrastructure in Metro cities and with the crash that has taken place since 1999 many of these companies have seen the usage of their pipes decrease significantly. The infrastructure that was laid is a fixed cost that companies are eager to recover. The result of the reduced number of businesses in the market seeking service and the drop in pricing has created a buyers market.
In a buyers market remember that you can push and probably get concessions from the carrier but also remember that all carriers are not created equally. Many carriers may appear to offer a bargain price but you may be several hops from the internet and have a problem with latency. You may also be using a small carrier that has not actually checked the capacity of the CO before you sign your contract and cannot even deliver the service they promised. The only way you will discover this is when you start using your connection and find that at peak traffic times your connection is bogged down at a level below that which was guaranteed.
