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By Michael Lemm

Here’s the question many small to medium size businesses ponder… sometimes to the point of paralysis. “What are the advantages of a T1 are over DSL at the same bandwidth?”

The answer is really much simpler than one would think. The key word here though is… “think”.

Unless your major and only concern is cost, a T-1 will win hands down. A T-1 is going to be more reliable. The big plus is if it does go down, the SLA (Service Level Agreement) and QoS (Quality of Service) negotiated with the provider mandates a quick response (as in a few hours) to start fixing any T-1 issues. Whereas a DSL could go down for days and there is nothing you can do about it. With DSL there’s rarely any mandated response times for repairs.

Also a T-1 is usually more dedicated than DSL. For example the provider could have 200 customers or more out of one DSLAM… but the T-1 is all for you. You will therefore see less latency and bandwidth problems with your T-1 than you would with a DSL from the same provider. This may not be the case all over… but for most it is true.

Now here’s a few facts to further confuse you (hopefully not… but be forewarned).

The DSL cost at about 1.5M is not that much less than burstable T-1 service (sometimes refered to as Full T-1 “as you need it”). This may surprise you, but in the long run (and you’d be foolish to pay full price rather than taking a 36 month term reduction), in this particular situation SDSL may not be that much less expensive even than Full T-1 services. But… and this is a BIG but …. T-1 is the better choice on a straight internet cost/benefit analysis. (not to mention performance issues).

Let me explain…

Internet access (as in internet or data only) is the biggest waste of T-carrier bandwidth for businesses who are not teeny tiny ISP’s. The smart thing to do is take your total voice investment (monthly, installation, maintenance, hardware, etc.) and add it to your total internet/data investment. What you will find is that even if you need the full 1.544Mbps for internet/data, you will save thousands of dollars or more by fully integrating voice and data services.

Let me give you some examples of how you can do this:

1) Fiber optics. A very large infrastructure cost offset by a relatively small bandwith usage cost means fiber pays for itself within a couple of years. No brainer – unless there’s no fiber to be found.

2) ADTS-E over T-3. Like T-1, DS-3 can also be purchased fractionally. Dedicating certain DS3 channels (1.544Mbps each) for voice and certain ones for data. Configured in this way, DS-3 is not going to be as expensive as you think, and you’ll have the advantage of cost/benefit by bundling voice/data and internet through one pipe.

3) ISDN-PRI. Don’t laugh, because I know what you’re thinking: ISDN???? But your typical ISDN line is ISDN-BRI (2B + D) giving 64k x 64k at a set kbps D channel for signaling. However, ISDN-PRI is technically understood as 23B + D. Meaning 23 B channels at 64k + one D channel at 64k for signal. With intelligent CPE, i.e. a brand new PBX, you can dynamically allocate bandwidth back and forth between voice and data channels as needed. So if your internet requires the entire 1.544Mbps (it probably won’t) at any given time it will be available. And when traffic subsides on the data side the channels are returned to be available for voice. ISDN-PRI runs piggyback over a T-carrier line. However, you need at least 1.544 Mbps for dedicated Internet access. Iin which case ISDN-PRI is a brilliant solution because you can provision up to 8 PRI’s (that’s a maximum of 184 B channels at 64k each) working together. That’s a boatload of bandwidth capable of running switched and/or dedicated services dynamically allocated between voice/data and internet at a net savings over your current voice/data internet costs.

Given a reliability comparison between DSL and any of the technologies above, DSL will probably lose until its stabilized, if ever. However, the business rationale for increasing bandwidth must necessarily lean toward integration or become a ridiculous mess of wires, services, and vendors. That means at least T1 or something more.

Here’s another overlooked factor ….. The consolidation of unnecessary vendors (through integrating your voice and data) is going to save you money, no matter what area of the business you’re talking about. It will save you the confusion of terms, products, pricing, and simple communication factors. Further, your reliability increases because your point of contact/escalation is just a single person or team assigned to your account, and it’s just easier in general to hold one company responsible (rather than many) when something goes wrong.

You’ll have to get quotes to know for sure, but telecom service integration is the only way to intelligently make use of bandwidth at this time.

It must be pointed out that business applications drive business connectivity. Meaning that in the end the only thing that matters is what you’re doing. The means to support the applications will present themselves as viable options along a cost/benefit scale. At that point you will be able to pick and choose according to your budgeting and bandwidth agenda. If you’re not then able to decide on a technology, you probably need to hire a consultant.

Here’s a tip. You can get that level of assistance to navigate the murky waters of deciding the right bandwidth solution….at no cost too. Simply request a free rate quote and requirements analysis assistance from DS3-Bandwidth.com.

Bottom line is if your Internet connection is “Mission Critical” and your business depends on it, GET THE T-1!! If you just need it for basic email and web surfing …. and it wouldn’t kill you if it was down for a day …. look at DSL. If you really want to make the smart play ….. opt for integrated voice and data over a T1 or DS3.

Michael is the owner of FreedomFire Communications….including DS3-Bandwidth.com and Business-VoIP-Solution.com. Michael also authors Broadband Nation where you’re always welcome to drop in and catch up on the latest BroadBand news, tips, insights, and ramblings for the masses.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Lemm
http://EzineArticles.com/?What-Are-The-Advantages-Of-T1-Over-DSL?&id=800911

My Magic Jack Review
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Darnell_F_Vega]Darnell F Vega

The other day I was in Best Buy and I noticed the MagicJack product that I’d seen on TV several times. Since I was looking for a VOIP application I decided to give it a try.

What is Magic Jack—My Review
Magic Jack is a small plastic device a little bit smaller than a credit card that plugs into the USB port on your computer. The purpose of Magic Jack is to place telephone calls through the Internet. There is also a telephone plug on the device. I paid $45 at Best Buy for MagicJack and the first year of service. This includes unlimited domestic calls to any phone all in the one fee.

In addition to the device, the $45 included a free voice mail account and a free US telephone number, which is important since I spend so much time overseas.

Installation
installation was very easy. I plug the device into my computer on at the USB port and the Magic Jack software installed automatically. After a brief update, I plugged my telephone into the plug on th device and it was ready to go. Surprisingly when I picked up the telephone I had a dial tone immediately and was able to place a call.

So does it work
In short yes MagicJack works very well considering the inexpensive cost. My first test call using the telephone through MagicJack resulted in a call that was very clear and easy to understand. The initial call was clearer than most cell phone conversations and nearly to the level of using a landline. I experienced no voice delay as I had with other VO IP applications.

After testing several calls, I’ve concluded that Magic Jack is at least as good as most cell phone providers. Using the telephone handset I’ve had great results with the quality of my phone calls. When using a cheap computer headset, the call on my end was clear, but sometimes the other end had static. For best results use Magic Jack with the telephone handset.

For a more difficult task I placed a call overseas. Dialing from the US to an overseas number is not free of charge so I did need to set up an account with Magic Jack and pay for the minutes I used. Magic at rates to most countries is quite reasonable. This call went fairly well, but since the cell phone reception on the other end was for, sometimes it was hard to hear on the call. Surprisingly, there was little delay between speaking and hearing. While overseas, I placed several calls to US telephone numbers. These calls are free of charge on Magic Jack, making this an outstanding bargain for travelers. Most of the calls I placed were very clear although occasionally the person I was talking to would have trouble hearing and a small delay would occasionally occur between speaking and hearing. Overall, the quality is again comparable to the cell phone reception I was getting in the same country.

Conclusion

I am quite please with Magic Jack. The sound quality has ranged from excellent to adequate, the price is amazing, and I’ve been able to place and receive US calls while I’m overseas. MagicJack will require a broadband connection and your call quality will vary depending on the quality of your Internet connection. Overall I’ve had no calls were I could not communicate, and many calls where it was almost like being on a landline.

If you’re interested in Magic Jack, the one mistake I made was buying it in the store. If purchased online, Magic Jack comes with a 30 day trial that is completely risk-free, and is available online for less than the costs in the store. As long as you have a broadband connection, give Magic Jack to try, it is risk-free and they have proven to be a reliable and quality company.

Darnell is a technology guru and aspiring author. [http://purelybargains.com/2009/06/magic-jack-review/]Magic-Jack Review.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Darnell_F_Vega http://EzineArticles.com/?My-Magic-Jack-Review&id=2508179

Does My Office Need Cat5e or Cat6 Cabling?
By Steve Norris

We have seen a growing percentage of installed data cabling shift from Cat5e to Cat6 in the past year. A common question we hear, since there is a substantial price difference between the two, is do I really need Cat6 and gigabit capacity internally?

What is the difference between the two? Essentially both cable types are rated for distances up to 90M, but the difference lies in the data carrying capacity of each cable. Cat5e is a 100Mbit/s cable, and Cat6 is a gigabit cable standard. Gigabit = 1,000Mbit/s, or roughly ten times as fast at Cat5e.

Cat5e cable, or Category 5 cable, is a copper standard for 100Mbit/s transport speed. Cat5e (enhanced) replaced the old Cat5 standard. Each Cat5e cable actually can carry 100Mbit worth of data per second.

Is this adequate for your network? In order to answer this, it is good to know a few more details about your network. Do you use an internal server that hosts databases or bandwidth intense features? Do you only use the data connection in your office for internet browsing? Do you use a VOIP telephone system?

It is common for the average business to use a T-1 worth of bandwidth or greater. An average T-1 connection is 1.5Mbit/s, so if the main use of your data usage is browsing the internet, the 100Mbit/s connection with Cat5e cable will never be a cause for lack of network performance.

If you use very bandwidth intensive applications hosted on a common server, and you need real time performance internally, you may actually use a large portion of that available bandwidth.

If you use a VOIP telephone system, remember that each voice conversation only represents 64kb. On a Cat5e cable that supports 100Mbit/s, you can actually handle up to 1562 conversations at one time across each Cat5e cable. Unless you are using bandwidth intensive applications internally, Cat5e capacity and performance should not be an issue with VOIP systems. If you phone system is not VOIP, most digital phones operate on a single pair of wires, and they are often best accommodated with Cat3 cabling.

As more and more businesses turn to fiber optic data connections to the internet, higher bandwidth internally becomes a necessity. Not only does Cat6 cable represent a higher installation cost, it will also require gigabit switches internally to handle the faster gigabit speeds. If 10/100 switches or standard 100Mbit switches are used with Cat6 cabling, the actual performance of the cabling is limited to smallest transport mechanism. Cat6 Cabling also requires the more expensive Cat6 Patch Panels and Cat6 jacks.

If your office is using a fiber connection, or if your office uses bandwidth intensive applications, Cat6 cable may need to be a consideration. We recommend that you speak to your local Cabling Contracting Experts to help make a recommendation that best suits your application and budget.

Steve Norris is a Texas based cabling contractor that provides Cat6 Cabling solutions and Cat5e Cabling solutions.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Norris
http://EzineArticles.com/?Does-My-Office-Need-Cat5e-or-Cat6-Cabling?&id=1124911

Register at   http://netservices1.com/quote  and you will receive leads by email.

I know it sounds too good to be true that I’m giving away leads but hear my reason for it. I’m a small voice data cabling contractor in St Louis MO and I get most of my business from the internet; which, I get all the time from folks who need cabling done in other parts of the country but you see I only support the local St Louis market. I tell all those other prospective customers; sorry, but because you aren’t in the St Louis area I can’t help you.

Although I can’t work these leads I still want to put then to use to stave off a takeover of the local advertising market in St Louis by the large National IT services companies. They are just killing me on the internet.  My wife calls then the Wal-Marts of the IT industry.

Over the years I have gotten pretty good at promoting my Low voltage cable company on the internet with writing and publishing relative articles, blogging and along with SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEQ) for my web site but unfortunately these things just aren’t enough to keep my website ranked high with the search engines.

High ranking in the search engines is why I’m giving away the leads.  I’m starting a national marketing campaign to get cable leads which will improve my local search engine ranking in St Louis.  I want be able to use any lead I generate for installs outside St Louis unless I get help from Contractor’s like you.

To keep a good reputation in this industry I have got to be able to fulfill what I promise when I set out to advertise nationally, the assurance that is there will be a local cable installer supporting every location I get leads from.   

So that is my reason for giving away leads to you. You can contact Mike Stephens President at Net Services Inc at Mike@netservices1.com or register at   http://netservices1.com/quote

I got a call from a Client on Thursday that they would be switching providers on Friday  to XO.  and would I be able to be there to lend support. You see I’m the equipment PBX vendor for the Client. 

Ordinarily this request is not unusual just that this one concerned me because most of the time Providers will communicate with the equipment vendor long before the set cut-over date  to confirm equipment settings.  The time of day for the cut-over to concerned me because it was to take place at 10 AM; whereas most cut-overs of this size is scheduled for after 5 PM so not to interrupt business.

The Client has Two PRIs with a lot of telephone numbers that would be needed to be ported over.

Switching to XO took less then 10 minutes. OX did a great job and I understand from  the Client XO won then over with the best price they could find.

By Laurie Stephens

I want to preface this post that I wasn’t a recycer before and I really didn’t get it on just how important it is to help out the environment but since I have started composting I understand the connection between nature and our impact on it. Now,  I do everthing I can to make a difference either by using less, choosing  a product that has less packaging, or that it can be recycled after it’ been used, choosing rechargable batteries that that are used  after a charge vs just tossing into the trash after the charge is gone I can state that sometimes you won’t have batteries if you aren’t proactive in keeping some charged.

We have replaced our appliances with Energy Star rating, going with front loaders on both the washer and dryers which not only use less energy but less soap and water.  Blanketing the water heater and the list increases as I need replacements.

After cleaning out our I car garage, I know unheard of now a days but 1929  two car garages were unheard of, anyway after finding all sorts of treasures from 1930 in there we now have 5×7 trailer full of recyclable metal, and old computers and electronic parts. Trying to work on being green I found that the Goodwill locations partnered with Dell and you can drop off almost all forms of electronics, computer parts or whole units, power cords, and speakers and cell phones.

“Goodwill’s Reconnect program has the potential not only to divert environmentally dangerous products from the solid waste stream but also to provide new opportunities for disabled citizens throughout Northwest Ohio” said Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur.

“Goodwill Industries of Northwest Ohio is very happy to begin the operational phase of our partnership with Dell,” said Bob Huber, Goodwill’s President and CEO. “Responsible recycling of e-waste is critical to our environment and we are excited to offer this program to the communities we serve. As the pilot for other Ohio Goodwills, we join Michigan and other Goodwill/Dell Reconnect partners around the country in this beneficial community effort while supporting Goodwill’s mission and creating new jobs.”

If you have an old PC or any electronic parts you want to recyclce   goto reconnectpartnership.com which is managed by Dell and Goodwill Industries, enter your zip code and the locations that that accepts the equipment will be listed. Also , Goodwill can help you with how to clean your computer of all it’s data  and personal information see
http://www.goodwill.org/page/guest/about/howweoperate/donations/tipsfor.

If care to clean your computer yourself , for PCs, click here to download Active Erase, a free Windows disk cleaning software available on c|Net’s Download.com.

Data cable too can be recycled for the copper in it. You can google for recycling metal and wire. So far I have haven’t had to do that since we have individual who has taken all my wire and make made some money off of it.

We also got left over fluorescent light bulbs which need to be recycled because of the mercury in them.  In our area there is a company called Recycles that allows you to drop them off free of charge. They also take paints, stains. Antifreeze, batteries and just about everything that you know shouldn’t go in the trash.  Look under your cities website to find a recycling location near you.

 

Don’t forget that a lot of the items you may have around the house can be donated to schools or churches and community centers.  We had children tapes and a small TV that a children’s organization took, and the vets have a pickup service that you can use on line to schedule a pickup can’t be any easier.  It is a tax right off also which sweetens the post a little.

Schools will take extra paper, ink cartridges, binders. call your local school system to find out what they can use.

 

With just a little effort we can be better stewards of our planet.

More recycle companies

1. http://www.ecyclestlouis.org/index.php

By Lee Solt

The most basic idea behind Holistic Managed Services is that the technology a company utilizes is assessed from a business standpoint and brought into the fold of productivity – whether it is focused to generate real, bottom-line net income or to cut costs and effectively reduce operating expenses. In a nutshell it stops unnecessary spending on technology.

At a time when businesses and their departments are being forced to scale back more and more on resources; technology must be seen as a viable income producer at every level – not just a break-and-fix expense or the piecemeal “sale and service” of individual software, hardware, and training.

This is accomplished through overall business and financial analysis, product and process development, and effective stakeholder engagement. In general, this permits technology to be moved from overhead to become a more vibrant part of business functions and provide a better client / product / end-user experience.

A constant goal of Holistic Managed Services is to minimize TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) – by researching and recommending technology to reduce energy costs in the data center, or suggesting the integration of accounting systems with inventory systems, or other similar infrastructure changes. Under a Holistic Managed Service program, this type of additional technological advice is part of the program – and it is offered at no additional cost .

In short, the recession may be causing some serious issues across the board, but it has created a great opportunity for companies to step up and make the transition to Holistic Managed Services programs. Here are the 3 phases used in the implementation of a Holistic Managed Services program.

Phase 1. – Assessment

First, complete an assessment of the existing infrastructure. During this process, it’s a good idea to stop buying devices, software, and training – and stop engaging new partners and signing new contracts. Once the assessment has been completed, these purchases and decisions will be backed with solid return analysis.

Phase 2 – Remediation

After Phase 1 – Assessment is complete, Phase 2 can begin – Remediation. During this phase, businesses invest in bringing their infrastructure to a more reliable operational state. Many times it involves updating aged equipment in order to operate more effectively.

Phase 3 – Implementation

In this phase companies focus on their business, as the managed service provider takes over the responsibility for successful day-to-day operations of the technology. It is also in this phase that corporate strategic initiatives take shape, and spending is focused with laser-like clarity on the business’ objectives.

Holistic Managed Services is the wave of the future and should be looked at as a viable business solution in a rough economy. Simple changes can reduce your business’s IT expenses (overhead) by up to 50%, increase your customer service and client retention by 100%, and increase your company’s bottom line, even in this rough economy.

Lee Solt, Managing Partner
Advanced Vision Technology Group http://www.advancedvisiontech.com

cell: 646-228-2006

Advanced Vision Technology Group is a dynamic Information Technology Managed Services firm. We provide a unique and innovative Holistic Managed Services to our growing client base that extends beyond the realm of traditional technology companies. We are innovators, technologists, business designers and project managers working with clients to produce success. Our management team, engineers and client services personnel are certified and supported by some of the world’s largest IT manufacturers.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lee_Solt http://EzineArticles.com/?Holistic-Managed-Services&id=1813806

By David Rosenthal

I’m new to blogging, and it occurs to me that it’s kinda like having to cook a meal for your family every day. You’ve pretty much got to do it everyday. It’s got to be something different or people get bored. With a blog, just like a meal, you’ve got to assemble all the ingredients up front; a topic, some facts, then double checking the facts, some images, and some links. Then you can get down to work, and start cooking up all these parts; getting the text, links, tags and keywords all squared away.

But maybe you have an accident. In a kitchen you might knock a pot of food off a table. And that analogy corresponds to something I’ve done with the blog; I might start an article and leave the window to my WordPress post open. Then hours later come back, and maybe I’ve cleared my cookies, so when I go to the post to “Save” I get a prompt to “login” instead. LOSING my article! So yeah, sometimes I have to skip a day. If you’re sticking with our meal analogy then in this case we’ll say “the family can get take-out tonight.” And you can take that time away with your blog too. But, sooner rather than later, you gotta get back to it!

But when you finally get the meal out to the family, or the blog all written and published, well its not over yet. With a meal you’d still have the dishes and kitchen clean up to face (possibly followed by taking out the garbage). Basically, the crappy part. And with the blog, after you publish a post you’ve got some crap work ahead of you too. First you’ve got to get out there and PING. So it’s off to Feedburner and/or Digg, Technorati and whichever else you think will generate some visitors and RSS subscribers. Then it’s off to bend and stretch some ongoing topic so you can make acceptably relevant comments on OTHER people’s blogs. And just like watching to see if the family looks full and content after they’ve eaten, I go out and start reading my stats to see how effective my work has been.

And then there’s tomorrow. What’s on the menu now?

David Rosenthal writes for the internet. Chicago native, lived in New York, Los Angeles and Tokyo. Graduated Columbia University. Did film/tv acting. Studied Bujinkan Taijutsu. Comic book and movie fan with an X-Men Wolverine site.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Rosenthal
http://EzineArticles.com/?Having-a-Blog-is-Like-Having-to-Feed-a-Hungry-Family-Every-Day&id=791894

If your company has been in operation for two or more years, then it is time to have a telephone bill audit done by a professional consultant who is knowledgeable on the billing methods of the telephone industry.  An audit will uncover service and billing issue that aren’t always apparent when paying the monthly phone bill.  Having this done early on enables your company being reimbursed quickly if there are errors on the telephone bills. These over looked billing errors can add up quickly, costing a company thousands of dollars. The company I work with found out because of other issues that they had been overcharged for years on lines that were not being used any longer, taxes, and long distance rates.  The longer the time frame the more difficult it can be to have the phone company see their errors and getting them to pay the overages.
Many business change telecom vendors regularly in hopes of a saving, when they should be auditing their telecommunications services and systems to identify billing errors and opportunities to reduce costs while maintaining or improving service. If you do decide to change carriers it is a good idea to have an audit done first because you may be eligible for a refund from your current provider, but you may forfeit any reimbursements if you would cancel their service and go with a competitor.
Why should you use a trained Auditor? Well, I’m auditing a company’s telephone bill that last year swapped out an old PBX phone system for a Cisco Call Manager.  To do this complete switch over all of the new services had to be installed by their Telecom provider, which meant the company switched from analog lines to a PRI T1. Not until after doing the telephone audit did the company find out that it had been paying for service that it had requested terminated for a year.  The company was able to recoup thousands of dollars from the provider. Most companies accounting personal don’t have the knowledge or training to determine if accurately applied Federal, State and Local surcharges and taxes have been billed, thereby reducing your possible refunds.
Another point in favor of reviewing your company’s telephone service is performing a traffic study to see if you have the right number of lines and circuits to properly handle inbound and outbound calls.  Foolishly some company’s method of doing a traffic study is to do nothing about their current number of lines until customers start complaining and there is nothing worse than not being able to get thru to a company most people if they can’t get thru will go to a vendor  with enough lines providing a good customer service.  But on the other hand, margins are down and paying for unnecessary lines is not the answer either, a traffic study pays for its self.
There are many payment options available when employing a Telecom consultant to do an audit. They can either be paid by the hour, a set fee or the Consultant may opt to take a percentage of the refund.
Anything that makes your company give better customer service, profits high, and a little money saved it worth spending the money on a telephone audit.

I found a lighter side of T1 and communications in my own neighborhood, St. Charles, MO. Who would of thunk it? I found the booth along the river at the “St Charles Festival of the Little Hills”? It’s a annual celebration that The Towns folks in St Charles, Missouri puts on the third week of August. All of main street is closed off from vehicle traffic to allow craft booths to be set up. The attendants range from 200.000 to 300.000 people for the 3 day event.

As I was drugged along I happened to visit one booth that sold telephone wire jewelry, the jewelry was magnificently designed. I got a chance to talk to the owner who I could tell took pride in his craftsmanship. He told me that all the wire used was telephone wire just the short pieces left over from cable installation jobs. To all of us who sale, service and install T1 which T1 rides over copper wire lets think about how we can go GREEN and do our part to recycle.