How a T1 Works A T1 consists of 24 digital channels. These channels are flexible and can be used by anyone when they are free. A voice T1 can have both incoming and outgoing traffic on it. This means that you can convert your main telephone line to your T1 to provide more availability of incoming calls. The T1 channels are also used for outgoing calls. The next available line is used for making a call. All the telephone users share these lines. This flexibility makes much better utilization of the lines.



Companies can also take advantage of DID (direct inward dial) service. Purchase a bank of DID numbers and you can assign them to specific telephones in your company. For pennies a month your employees can enjoy the benefits of having their own phone number so that clients may reach them directly. This can also take some of the burden off your attendant. The T1 channels are used for both incoming and outgoing calls as needed. When deciding on the amount of T1s needed always allow for 10% growth or more if you are aware of upcoming peaks in your service.

Price Your company can save thousands of dollars per year when you switch from regular voice lines to a T1. The price of a T1 has come down recently partly due to the fact that most central office locations have already converted to digital infrastructure. Pricing is also competitive as more vendors offer T1 products to their customers. Because of its configuration a T1 is much more flexible than standard telephone lines and allows for more usage over the same amount of circuits.

A typical rule of thumb is to allow one T1 for each 50 to 100 employees. This is for standard voice service. If your business is phone intensive or if you operate a customer service center your needs may be increased. To determine the proper amount of T1s for your business you should first find out your current line usage. These reports are often available from your phone vendor. An engineer can often assist you in determining the correct amount of T1s for your specific application. Once the T1 is installed there are usually various usage reports that you can request which will help you to see if you are getting the best use of your T1 and whether you need to add an additional T1.

Speed A voice T1 transmits at a speed of 1.544 Mbps. This large bandwidth allows for instantaneous connections and clear, crisp sound. A T1 can carry more than 190,000 bytes per second making it faster than most standard modems. Any application can be run over a T1. As new applications become available they too can use the T1. Almost all digital data flows over fiber optic cables. The T1 may be brought to the location using copper wires and then put on fiber cables to run to your telephone room. The T1 is terminated onto a smart jack. This in turn is extended into your telephone system where the T1 is configured in routing.

Reliability and Service T1 lines are very reliable. If there is a problem it can often be solved quickly by using remote diagnostics. A CSU (Customer Service Unit) can be used to help provide a test point between your office and the central office of origin. You will typically get standard service during business hours that may include a technician visit to the site to resolve a problem. If your business has non-standard hours or operates 24/7 you will need to discuss service addition to your contract. Additionally, you may be able to use backup service in case of an outage, making the problem transparent to your customers.