Choosing the Best T1 Provider

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A telecommunications contract is like a relationship. Just like any other relationship, it can be good, bad, or somewhere in between. In today’s market, with pretty much any vendor, if you need T1 service, you’ll be required to enter into a long term agreement, or contract. The usual time frame for a T1 or T3 contract is from 1 to 3 years, with 3 years being the most common, in order to get the best pricing. Anything over 3 years is usually only seen with larger, more complex solutions – usually multi-site MPLS or other applications such as OC3 and OC12. Large Frame Relay networks are also sometimes signed at more than 3 year terms. The length of the agreement probably won’t be an issue – if your relationship with your vendor is a good one. But having a long contract with could be a huge burden if you’re with the wrong vendor.

A good preventive solution is to use the services of a telecom broker so you have the ability to see and compare various providers and options for the service you’re looking for. An independent telecom agent (or broker) can save you a lot of time and heartache because instead of sitting through multiple meetings with sales reps from various vendors, you can have one single, in-depth meeting. A good broker will know all the questions to ask you, and have options to many different providers, to ensure you are getting the exact solution that will be best for your company. And you’ll only need to have one meeting instead of various meetings with different T1 providers.

An agent will also be helpful because they won’t be biased toward one vendor or one service type, if it’s not the right vendor or service for you. On the opposite side of the spectrum is the sales person who is employed directly by the carrier, who will obviously be biased toward his company and products – whether or not they’re the best fit for you. Since the agent doesn’t work for one specific provider, such as CenturyLink or XO Communications, he or she won’t push you in a direction which doesn’t serve your particular best interest.

Keep in mind that the T1 provider you end up choosing will be your partner for a long time, so make sure to put plenty of though and analysis into making the right choice. If you choose the wrong provider, it can adversely affect your business. Missed calls or an unreliable internet connection can spell disaster for a business. In our experience, we’ve seen larger providers such as AT&T or Verizon let companies out of their contracts if it can be shown that the voice T1 or data T1 is not performing up to guaranteed levels on a regular basis. But don’t expect smaller carriers to do the same. Also keep in mind that even the larger carriers won’t reimburse you or help recoup whatever monetary or relationship damage was caused by lost calls, lost emails, or poor service to your customers. Working with an independent telecom broker will help you when you’re shopping for a T1 provider, and we suggest you take advantage of all the benefits this way of shopping entails versus having to meet separately with several biased sales people employed by the carriers.

Advantages of Using a Telecom Broker

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Getting a real-time price quote for T1 internet service is fast and easy with GeoQuote on SpectrumTelco.com. You won’t need to meet with multiple reps from multiple telecom carriers anymore, saving you time and giving you an unbiased view of the market. The special instant T1 price quote software we use will allow you to see the best T1 pricing from multiple carriers all in one place, without having to sit through several different sales pitches.

If you choose, one of our communications specialists will contact you after you’ve received your instant quote. Not to be worried! Our experts are not there to pressure you. Take advantage of them and use their expertise and knowledge to learn more about the services and carriers that appear in your quote.

There is incredible value in Using a communications specialist in your search for voice and data services, and a telecom broker to sign up for your service. Some people may believe they can “beat the system” by working with a broker to get pricing and other information, and then going directly to the carrier thinking they can get better service. But this will actually cheat you out of some of the greatest advantages of the services of a broker. Telecom brokers don’t mark up the price of the services they represent in any way. You will receive the same price you would get by going directly to the carrier – sometimes even better because of special volume pricing!

You get a huge advantage by ordering through a broker because you’ll have an additional channel of customer support and service. If a carrier isn’t living up to your expectations, you’ll always be able to use the services of your broker, who the carriers truly listen to because of the volume of business they bring. A telecom broker is much more likely to get the carrier to stand up and pay attention to the customer to get any issues resolved faster. Get the advantages of using one of our communications specialists today by starting out with your no-hassle quote today!

Why You Shouldn’t Pay For a T1 Router

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Since the economy started going downhill, there has been a decrease in usage of network capacity.  This means opportunity for buyers of broadband.  Carriers are doing everything they can do to get people to use their networks.

A few years ago, you had to worry about hardware yourself.  But today, most carriers are willing to include a good T1 router with your new service contract.  Providers have become extremely competitive, and one of the ways they are trying to attract customers is by making the installation process as simple and painless as possible.

Service providers have tried many different ways of attaining new customers and simplifying the installation process.  Credit checks and application paperwork have been simplified, and there are increasingly discounts available for new customers.  The free router went from a special promotion offered to increase month end sales to becoming a standard part of the product offering.  It’s now the exception rather than the norm to find carriers that do not offer a router included with their service offering.

If you’re in the market for new T1 service, be aware that you should be able to get a router included with your service.  If the provider doesn’t offer one, don’t be afraid to ask for it.  And if they do offer one, make sure you get the best T1 router possible.  Remember, it’s a buyers market and you will likely be able to add on a few “extras” when you get your new service.  The best way to make sure you aren’t leaving anything on the table is to use a Telecom Broker who knows the service providers and knows how to get you as much as possible.  Consider using one of the brokers at SpectrumTelco.com.