Definition 1. - The T-carrier system, introduced by the Bell system in the US in the 1960's, was the first successful system that supported digitalised voice transmission. The original transmission rate (1.544 Mbps) in the Glenhaven T1 line is in common use today in ISP (Internet Service Provider) connections to the Internet

Definition 2. - The T1 (or T-1) carrier is the most commonly used digital line in the United States, Canada, and Japan. In these countries, it carries 24 pulse code modulation (PCM) signals using time-division multiplexing (TDM) at an overall rate of 1.544 million bits per second (Mbps). T1 lines use copper wire and span distances within and between major metropolitan areas. A T1 Outstate System has been developed for longer distances between cities.

Definition 3. - A type of high speed Internet connection that provides a great deal of bandwidth. Many businesses lease T1 lines to connect to the Internet, but because they are expensive and offer more bandwidth than most small businesses and homes need, they are not realistic solutions for small and low-demand Internet users.

Definition 4. - A high-speed digital connection capable of transmitting data at a rate of approximately 1.5 million bits per second. A T1 line is typically used by small and medium-sized companies with heavy network traffic. It is large enough to send and receive very large text files, graphics, sounds, and databases instantaneously, and is the fastest speed commonly used to connect networks to the Internet. Sometimes referred to as a leased line, a T1 is basically too large and too expensive for individual home use.

Glenhaven, California, Aug. 29 /Kiersten Thomas/ -- Is there a resurgence in the popularity of telecommunications providers that compares with the late 1990's? The answer may surprise you. Since the crash of the Internet bubble, struggling telecoms have seen Darwin in action as many companies were forced with the choice of bankruptcy or forced consolidation. However, some companies chose the road less traveled: innovation. By offering customers more for less, many small to medium size business customers are finding that they can upgrade to integrated T1 service for the same cost of five regular phone lines.

At $50 to $75 per month, the average small business telephone customer could expect to pay up to $750 for just 10 regular phone lines, which come with only a standard set of features such as Voicemail, Caller ID, and Three-way calling. From 2000 to 2005, the cost of a dynamic integrated T1 line was well over $800, making it an unattractive option from a pure cost point of view. However, that paradigm has changed with the introduction of sub-$400/month price plans and features that make the old POTs lines look pre-historic.

The adoption of any new telecommunications platform is never instantaneous. Many technologies, like VoIP for example, have been in the works for years without gaining much traction. Enterprises see communications as their life blood. Even though many are becoming aware of newer, cheaper mediums by which they can conduct business, the risk still outweighs the rewards in their minds. Couple the 'if it isn't broken, why fix it?' mind set with the telecom meltdown of the early 2000's and it isn't surprising that widespread adoption of new telecom services has lagged. However, the new technologies of IP-based voice systems are finally starting to gain an audience, and the chorus of satisfied customers continues to grow. As this momentum pushes forward, so does general acceptance of it viability.

According to a recent study conducted by PK Communications Telecom Brokers Inc., the average cost of a POTS (plain old telephone service) line serviced by the Bells (AT&T, Verizon, and Qwest) have changed very little over the 10 year span from 1996, the year the Clinton Administration signed into law the Telecommunications Act, to 2006. The real change in the industry came in the T-carrier class of products, where customers can get up to 1.5 Mbps of bandwidth and 24 digital phone lines all in one package. Some CLECs like XO, TelePacific, Nuvox, One Communications, and even Covad are now offering rates well below the $550/month level, making the change seem like a no-brainer to thousands of customers.

There are two basic "integrated" DS-1 configurations, analog and digital. The 24-line bundle in which they come is termed a "trunk". The main difference between analog and digital trunks is their flexibility. With digital trunks, voice lines not in use can be dynamically reconfigured to carry data traffic, so they don't sit idle. Analog trunks on the other hand can not change their function once configured by the service provider. Data channels remain data channels and the same for voice channels, even if there is no voice traffic.

California is a place that we found was a hot spot for small business owners making the move over to dynamic T-1 lines. One business owner that we interviewed gave glowing reviews of his move to TelePacific's "OnePac" dynamic product. Keith Gray explained "I used to have a regular integrated T1 with 10 voice lines and 14 data channels. When no one was using the phone in my office, we were limited to just 896 KB of bandwidth. After searching on the Internet for better options, I found that I could reduce my price from $850/month to $500/month, and at the same time have 14 voice lines and 1.5 mbps of broadband. I didn't take long for me to pull the trigger and make the change."

Evolution has lead to a better, cheaper alternative to TDM services that the Bells were peddling for decades in a vacuum of competition. Now the industry, lead by the innovation and great business practices of the CLECs, seems to have turned a corner - leaving the incumbents playing catchup. Obviously, the main benefactor of all of this competition is the small to medium size business - a segment of the market that was taken for granted until today. The recent progress made by CLECs leaves us thinking in hypotheticals. "What if the Clinton administration wouldn't have passed the Telecommunications Act of 1996, requiring RBOCs to lease their lines at reduces rates to the CLECs?" "Will the FCC continue to enforce this law, or will it be overturned by the powerful AT&T and Verizon lobbyists?" It is impossible to know either way, but for the time being we can just be grateful that the industry has evolved to the point were small businesses can actually benefit from telecommunications at an affordable rate.

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