T1/DS1 broadband in California 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 broadband in California is usually available 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 California:

1. Prices for T1 in California 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 California T1 providers that sell full T1 service

Use dedicated T1 in California 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: Speakeasy offers T1 service throughout the country. You can check for service availability on Speakeasy's website by providing your location information. Qwest is a Tier 1 provider that offers full T1 lines. You can obtain pricing and availability information on Qwest's website by submitting your telephone number.

Find dedicated T1 providers in California that specialize in business packages

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

I recommend: Verizon has a small business package specifically designed for 20 or fewer employees. EarthLink offers a symmetrical T1 business line so you can upload as fast as you download and guarantees 99.99 percent uptime.

Check out local provider packages for T1 service in California

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: Coastal Web Online is in Sacramento and provides T1/DS1 service only in California. It has an extended network with access to many cities in the state. Garlic.com by South Valley Internet is in San Martin and provides T1/DS1 service for many businesses in California.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  T1 service providers in California 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 California 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.