T1 Versus DSL

What's the difference between T1 lines and DSL?

T1 lines cost considerably more than DSL, and some businesses are wondering if they can save money by going with a DSL connection instead of T1 lines.

The principal difference between T1 lines versus DSL is that T1 lines are more reliable and there's higher quality of service. In essence, as in most telecom purchases, you get what you pay for.

DSL service can go out at a moment's notice, and getting it fixed can be a chore. You get into a phone queue for customer service, and inevitably there's either an area-specific problem that takes time to be identified or it's specific to your location and you may have to get in line for an onsite troubleshooting visit. It's not unusual to be told that the first available technician slot is two or three days out.

In comparing T1 versus DSL, remember that the technical architecture for DSL connections makes them prone to slowdowns and other problems. In contrast, T1 lines are point-to-point connections. This ensures that the quality of service can easily be monitored and maintained. T1 providers are able and willing to resolve T1 line problems because they are being paid enough money to provide that level of service. In fact, when you purchase T1 lines, you typically get guarantees on service levels as part of the contract.

T1 lines are also bidirectionally fast, meaning that you will have fast uploads and fast downloads via your T1 lines.

In contrast, DSL upload times are painfully slow. If your business needs fast upload times, DSL is probably not the right option.

Typically, business owners assume that the DSL connection they have at home will be replicated in their business environment. The key difference is that businesses typically have numerous employees accessing bandwidth. This is where DSL starts to become much slower and less reliable. If somebody is listening to their favorite radio station via the Web on one PC, everybody else may experience significant latency issues.

For very small businesses, DSL may be an option. For mid-sized and larger businesses, T1 lines are the way to go. They cost a little more, but it's worth it.

Get flat rate internet T1 line price quotes today.