T1 Phone Lines – What You Need To Know

T1 phone lines use a digital transmission link to transmit voice and data and can be particularly useful for businesses. A T1 has a capacity of 1.544 Mbps making it a faster connection than many other methods. T-1 phone lines can be used to connect your private business network to the public telephone network and Internet.

T1 phone lines allow up to 24 simultaneous conversations. The technology uses channels that are only seized for the duration of a conversation and are then placed back into the “pool” of lines allowing anyone to use them. A T1 can also be channelized to allow some lines for data use and some for voice use. This can make sense for smaller businesses. You can choose to port your main business telephone number to the T1 so that you can take in more simultaneous incoming calls. DID (direct inward dial) numbers can be used on the T1 to allow each individual phone user to have their own direct number that rings on their phone. This can help to reduce the amount of calls that come into the attendant console, freeing up the attendant to do other things.

One of the main advantages of using T1 lines is that they are flexible. Lines are not dedicated to specific phones or people but instead reside in a group to be used by anyone as needed. This allows for the most advantageous utilization of the T1. One 24-channel T1 can easily service an office group of 50 to 100 moderate telephone users. Those who have call centers or other phone intense configurations may require additional lines.

The T1 phone lines can be used for both incoming and outgoing phone service. Usage reports are available that can help you determine how well you are using the T1 and if you need to add or reduce the amount of T1 phone lines you have. Proper sizing will allow you to get the most economy from your T1 service.

T1 phone lines are very reliable. Outages are quite rare because typically the central office has redundant equipment. You can also utilize the programming of your telephone system to allow calls to overflow to other lines in the event of a failure or even if the T1 is busy.

T1 service is very affordable and allows small, medium and large businesses to utilize digital capability. Pricing has been coming down so even those with small businesses and their own telephone equipment can take advantage of this great option. The T1 is connected to the phone system or to the data network via a connection point from the provider. You can also use a CSU (Customer Service Unit) which provides a test point in the event of problems.

The speed of the T1 is what makes it so appealing to many businesses. The 1.544 Mbps speed makes it a faster connection than most modems. The bandwidth is typically large enough for many Internet applications including streaming video and web conferencing. Large files can be transferred easily and quickly.

A T1 is engineered specifically for your business taking into account the distance from the central office. The T1 provides a clear, crisp sound thanks to digital signaling. A typical office should be able to recognize savings relatively quickly.