T1/DS1 broadband in Massachusetts 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 services are usually available in DS0 fractions for private customers wanting access to broadband. Massachusetts providers will typically use a full T1 line to connect a small business to the Internet while a larger business may need multiple T1 lines bundled together.

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

1. Prices for T1 in Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts T1 services that lease full T1 lines

Give your employees the power to work at high-speed with dedicated T1. Massachusetts providers frequently include multiple static IP addresses and email addresses under your domain name with dedicated T1 access.

I recommend: 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. XO Communications is one of the largest nationwide networks and offers connection speeds from T1 up to 1 Gbps.

Find dedicated Massachusetts T1 providers that specialize in business packages

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

I recommend: USA Digital provides fractional and full T1 service to businesses that require reliable and secure connections to the Internet. Corecomm offers dedicated T1 service for businesses of all sizes and guarantees uptime of 99.5 percent.

Check out local provider packages for T1 access in Massachusetts

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: BerkshireNet Internet Solutions provides dedicated connectivity with speeds up to a T1 line to businesses in Berkshire County and surrounding areas. Crocker Communications has locations in Greenfield and Springfield and provides a range of Internet services for businesses, including T1 connections.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  T1 high-speed Internet in Massachusetts is almost always substantially faster 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 Massachusetts 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.