T1/DS1 broadband in Alaska uses two pairs of copper wire for transmission over telephone lines. An ordinary telephone line uses the DS0 transmission protocol, which carries 64 Kbit per second. A T1 line uses the DS1 protocol to combine the equivalent of 24 telephone lines for a total bandwidth of 1.536 Mbit per second.

T1 Internet providers in Alaska usually sell T1 service to private customers in DS0 fractions. However, a small business will typically use a full T1 line to connect to the Internet and larger business may use multiple T1 lines bundled together.

There are three primary factors to consider when deciding to use T1/DS1 broadband in Alaska:

1. Prices for T1 in Alaska vary in part according to your distance from the carrier’s Point of Presence. The further you are from the carrier’s POP, the more your T1/DS1 line will cost.

2. Major carriers usually own and operate their own networks, generally resulting in the best actual transmission speeds.

3. A channel bank is necessary to separate the DS1 data stream back into the 24 DS0 data packets. This device is relatively expensive to purchase or lease and represents a substantial investment for a small business.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Locate Alaska T1 Internet providers that sell full T1 service

Use dedicated T1 in Alaska to provide high-speed Internet access for a group of employees. These services frequently include multiple static IP addresses and email addresses under your domain name.

I recommend: XO Communications is one of the largest nationwide networks and offers connection speeds from T1 up to 1 Gbps. Intercom provides businesses across the country with full and bonded lines.

Find dedicated T1 providers in Alaska that specialize in business packages

Get T1 access in Alaska from a provider that can meet your needs now and scale your requirements as your business grows.

I recommend: Cogent Communications offers dedicated T1 and T3 service to its Tier 1 backbone for businesses in more than 100 markets. USA Digital provides fractional and full T1 service to businesses that require reliable and secure connections to the Internet.

Check out local packages for Alaska T1 service providers

The local provider connects your business to the carrier's POP. This connection is known as the local loop and represents a substantial component of a T1 line's cost.

I recommend: Anchorage-based Arctic.net provides a range of Internet connections to businesses in multiple communities in Alaska. Alaska Communications Systems, or ACS, provides high-speed dedicated connections to many of the major cities in Alaska, including Fairbanks and Juneau.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  T1 service providers in Alaska will almost always offer substantially faster access than a DSL line of the same rated speed. T1/DS1 providers rarely oversubscribe their services, meaning that these customers will have access to the full transmission rate of 1.544 Mbps. By contrast, the oversubscription rates for DSL lines routinely exceed 4:1.
• •  T1 access in Alaska also is available as a channeled circuit to allow voice traffic on a portion of the channels. These voice channels may be plain T1 or Primary Rate Interface channels. Call centers frequently use PRI lines because they also carry signaling data such as Caller ID and Automatic Number Identification data.