T1 Internet too slow? That’s blasphemous! When is it time to upgrade from a full T1 line?

T1 Internet too slow? That’s blasphemous!
When is it time to upgrade from a full T1 line?

So your business is growing and you find that the company requires a lot of bandwidth for everyday use. Maybe you started with a fractional T1 line and moved up to a Full T1 line, and perhaps you’ve even moved up to a bonded T1 line. Is this more than enough, or can you see the day you might need even more broadband?

Since the mid ‘90s, T1 has been the standard Internet connection for small to medium-sized businesses across the United States. You may be one of these small businesses, and some of you may have been proud of the fact that your company finally “needed” a T1 line. It can be seen as a rite of passage for a company growing. T1 provided reliable connections to the Internet, and maybe other offices.

With reliable high-speed connections at their disposal, businesses began to turn to the Internet for their business needs. For general use, a T1 line was more than enough. How can you imagine NEEDING anything faster? At the time T1 was becoming popular, companies like IBM were deploying T3s. It was understandable, though. Those companies had thousands and thousands of employees that needed to send e-mail, or what not. No way did a small business owner even fathom needing a T3.

Well, nowadays data communications has evolved into a bandwidth-hogging beast. Sales, customer servicing and marketing, and outsourced mainframes for data storages, etc, all require MORE speed.

Bill Gates once said that no one would need more than a 512k connection. Now that may sound silly right now, but will a T1 be compared to the 512k connections in the future? It depends on your needs so look into your choices before you jump the gun and purchase T3.

The right type of connection for you depends on a few things.

SPEED
Try to figure out if the speed you have is enough, and whether or not your business is starting to outgrow that speed. Do you think you’ll need something faster in a year or two?

RELIABILITY
How critical is the information you’re transmitting? Would it be best to just route across multiple backbones? Redundancy may be very important to you because Internet lines can go down. You just have to make sure every circuit has to be different, and not just the carrier.

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE
Can you program router tables? Do you have an ASN, are you familiar with ARIN and AS numbers? Personally, I will honestly say no, I don’t and I’m not. Since things can get pretty technical, if you don’t know the technology yourself, you’ll have to hire someone experienced and knowledgable to maintain your network. This can get pricy as typical house-calls to program router tables properly can run $3,000-$4,000.

Are you ready/in need of something more than a T1? Weigh your options, like I always say, and make a careful decision. Simply getting a balanced T1 might solve your needs. It could mean the success of your business.

Frame Relay - Is this the solution for you?

Frame Relay

Frame Relay is one of the most cost-effective types of data transmission available today. It’s a protocol standard for LAN internetworking which provides a fast and efficient method of transmitting information from a user device to LAN bridges and routers.

Frame Relay is a high-speed packet switched transmission service that connects two or more fixed points across a private network. Access to a Frame Relay network is done through an interface circuit known as a FRAD or Frame Relay Access Device. Sometimes it's called a Frame Relay Assembler/Disassembler. Most often, it's an option card in a router. The physical connection for Frame Relay Service is available in bandwidth anywhere from DS-0 (56k) to full DS-1 (T1) speeds.

Network providers usually employ frame relay for voice and data as an encapsulation technique used between LAN and over a WAN. Private or leased lines at the user end are connected to a Frame Relay node. The frame relay network handles transmissions over dynamic paths transparent to all end-users.

Designers of Frame Relay searched for a cost-efficient data transmission for discontinuous traffic between LANs and between end-points in a WAN. Frame Relay works by sending data in variable-size units called “frames” and leaves all the error-correction, like re-transmission of data, up to the end points; speeding up overall data transmission.

Frame Relay offers an attractive alternative to both dedicated lines and X.25 networks for connecting LANs to bridges and routers. The success of the Frame Relay protocol is based on the following two essential factors:

Virtual circuits only consume bandwidth when they’re transporting data, so they can exist simultaneously across a given transmission line. In addition, each device can use more of the bandwidth as necessary, and thus operate at higher speeds.
The improved reliability of communication lines and increased error-handling sophistication at end stations allows the Frame Relay protocol to discard erroneous frames. This eliminates time-consuming error-handling processing, which also helps in data transfer speeds.

And because Frame Relay uses a simple link layer protocol, your equipment usually requires only software changes or simple hardware modifications, so you don't have to invest a lot of money to upgrade your system. However, required testing is needed to determine that the system works properly and transmitted data is not lost.


Now the question is: Do you really need it?

Frame Relay traffic is a shared bandwidth connection that is provided by your local phone company. It does not use the Internet to route traffic between your installations, although it can be configured to route traffic into and out of the Internet.

If your business only needs Internet access for the computers in your office and you only need TCP/IP communications, then you don't need frame relay. You just need a point-to-point T1 circuit that routes into your local ISP network to enter the Internet through their gateway. Remember to set up a firewall to protect your internal computer systems from the access to the Internet when using a point-to-point circuit.

On the other hand, if you need to network business locations, but don’t want to pay for full-time dedicated trunk lines, or share your T1 line with other connections (like mainframes), then Frame Relay is for you. Frame Relay can maintain a reliable and continuous network connection for your needs.

The network service provider will provide a permanent virtual circuit (PVC) in most cases. This allows the customer to have a continuous, dedicated connection without having to pay for a full-time leased line. The service provider will figure out the route each frame travels to its destination and can charge based on usage.

A company, like yours, can select a level of service quality, allowing certain frames to have priority over less important ones. Frame relay can run on full or fractional T-carrier system providers, and complement a mid-range service between ISDN and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM).


Frame Relay is available in the following speeds (type and speed of frame relay may vary by ILEC): 56Kbps, 64Kbps, 128Kbps, 256Kbps, 512Kbps, 1.5Mbps, and 2Mbps. If this type if solution is for you, find the best Frame Relay Service in your area!

X.25 - I’ve got to say, this is definitely not an article on a X-Men movie sequel.

I’ve got to say, this is definitely not an article on a X-Men movie sequel.

X.25 is an International Telecommunication Union-Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) standard protocol suite for wide area networks (WAN) communications that defines how connections between user devices and network devices are established and maintained. Designed to operate effectively regardless no matter what kind of systems are connected to it, X.25 is typically used in the packet-switched networks (PSNs) of common carriers, such as the telephone and ISDN companies.

The need for WAN protocols capable of providing connectivity across public data networks (PDNs) in the ‘70s helped the standardization of X.25 by common carriers. The result is the international standard managed by the ITU-T. “Packet Switched Network” was the recognized name of the international collection of X.25 providers, mainly the various national telephone companies. Their combined network provided a huge global coverage for the following decades, and is still used in limited use.


X.25 DEVICES

First off, X.25 devices have to be explained before moving on. These network devices fall into three general categories:
Data terminal equipment (DTE) - End systems that communicate across the X.25 network. They are usually terminals, personal computers, or network hosts. Located on the property of individual subscribers.
Data circuit-terminating equipment (DCE) - Communications devices, such as modems and packet switches, which provide the interchange between DTE devices and a PSE. Generally located in the carrier's facilities.
Packet-Switching Exchange (PSE) - Switches that make up most of the carrier's network. They transfer data from one DTE device to another through the X.25 PSN.

X.25 was based on the concept of establishing "virtual calls," or switched virtual circuits (SVC), through the network with "data terminal equipment" (DTE) providing endpoints to users, which looked like point-to-point connections. See, X.25 was developed in the era of dumb terminals connecting to host computers. Dialing through a host computer would require a set of modems and phone lines for the computer, and require non-local callers make long-distance calls. Instead of dialing directly through the host computer, the host could have an X.25 connection to a network service provider. Subscribers, such as banks, are charged based on their use of the network. X.25 was typically billed as a flat monthly service fee, and then a price-per-packet on top of this.

Thanks to X.25, dumb-terminal users could dial into the network's local “PAD” (Packet Assembly/Disassembly facility). The PAD, a device commonly found in X.25 networks, is used when a DTE device, such as a character-mode terminal, is too simple to implement the full X.25 functionality.

The PAD is located between a DTE device and a DCE device, and it performs three primary functions:
Buffering (storing data until a device is ready to process it) – Buffers data sent to or from the DTE device.
Packet assembly - Assembles outgoing data into packets and forwards them to the DCE device. (This includes adding an X.25 header.)
Packet disassembly - disassembles incoming packets before forwarding the data to the DTE. (This includes removing the X.25 header.)


Virtual Circuits in X.25

A virtual circuit is a logical connected created to ensure two network devices communicate reliably. It denotes the existence of a logical, bi-directional path from one DTE device to another through an X.25 network, even though the connection can pass through any number of nodes/devices like DCE and PSEs. Multiple virtual circuits (logical connections) can be multiplexed into a single physical circuit (a physical connection). Virtual circuits are de-multiplexed at the remote end, and data is sent to the appropriate destinations.

There are two types of X.25 virtual circuits:
Switched Virtual Circuits (SVCs) - Temporary connections that require a request session connection each and every time the devices need to communicate. If communication occurs over an SVC and neither device has additional data to transfer, the virtual circuit is terminated.
Permanent virtual circuits (PVCs) - Permanently established connections used for frequent and consistent data transfers that do not require that sessions be established and terminated. Data transfer can be done whenever necessary because the session is always active.


X.25 Today

Thanks to the advent of "perfect" quality digital phone services and error correction in modems, the operating cost of X.25 was no longer worthwhile. This brought forth Frame relay, which is essentially the X.25 protocol with the error correction systems removed. The concept of virtual circuits is still used within ATM to allow for traffic engineering and network multiplexing.

X.25 networks are still in limited use around the world. It remains one of the only available reliable links in many portions of the developing world, where access to a PDN may be the most reliable and low cost way to access the Internet.

Clear Channel T1: A clear cut connection may be the solution you need.

Clear Channel T1: A clear cut connection may be the solution you need.

Before I begin, I want to say that a clear channel T1 line is no more than a regular, full T1 line. In my very first article about residential T1 lines, I touched on what a T1 line is, so click here to read that article. After you’re done, continue on to read more supplementary information on a regular “Point to Point” or “Clear Channel” T1 line.

First, I’m going to explain DS0, or “DDS.” A basic channel carrying voice or data information through telephone transmission is 64kbps wide. When used for voice, and sometimes in data use, the top bit of each 8bits is “lost” to equate only 56kpbs. This 56k service, found in dial-up Internet service, is also referred to as “DS0” access.

A T1 line (a.k.a. DS1) is no more than 24 DS0s combined together in a time-slice fashion. Since there are 24 DS0s (each 64kbps wide), the actual available data rate for a T1 is 1536 Kbps, or 1.5Mbps, which is, obviously, 24 times faster than DS0. This requires using a line coding known as “B8ZS”, but “clear channel” is the common term for it.

Now we’ve established that a “Full T1” line and a “Clear Channel” line are just different terms with the same meaning. A Clear Channel T1 service reliably connects your network to the Internet through dedicated non-shared means. You order a clear channel T1 line; you get exclusive rights to one full T1 line. T1s provide a dependable 1.54 Mbps of bandwidth. As the circuits are delivered over dedicated copper connections, they provide constant symmetrical downloading and uploading of data. T1s are ideal for all aspects of business that depend on Internet Connectivity from e-mail access, web conferencing, and e-commerce applications.

T1 lines can be used by themselves, or bundled together to form multi-meg circuits. Their stability provides dependable and consistent dataflow for the transmission of both data applications as well as business class VoIP.

There is a significant downside to having a T1 line: PRICE. It’s not cheap to have T1 service, which is why so many companies offer a variety of T1 services at limited capabilities, such as fractional and bonded T1 lines. Check out Best T1 Line to compare T1 providers and determine the best T1 line for your needs.

Burstable T1 - Get a T1 line without bursting your wallet

In a few past articles, I’ve described fractional T1 and bonded T1 lines. Another option for those looking for more bandwidth for their business is burstable T1.

First off, burstable T1 gets its name from ‘burstable billing,’ the method of measuring bandwidth based on peak use. This is the most ideal solution for customers requiring very high bandwidth, but in bursts. It involves a full T1 line with all its bandwidth available all the time. The T1 service is sold with a set mount of monthly bandwidth. Measuring technology attached at the ISP’s end measures your bandwidth use, and if you exceed the allotted level of data, you would pay a premium.

The concept developed based on the idea that users use their Internet connections in bursts. When a page loads, bandwidth is sent in a burst and when it’s loaded, the user reads the page and data isn’t being sent or received; hence using the Internet in bursts. Burstable T1 can provide you to ‘burst’ to full T1 speeds of 1.544 Megabits without the cost of an entire T1 connection.

The beauty of a burstable T1 service is that it gives you a cheaper, but full T1 line for your business. Large packets of data can be sent or received quickly, but you don’t need to break the bank to have that availability. Here are some other benefits that a T1 line can give:
Reduced costs for users with fluctuating bandwidth needs or very high bandwidth bursts
Increased sales by improving the interaction time between your customers and your organization via the Internet
A manageable network by enabling usage statistics
Controlled bandwidth costs so you only pay for what you use

This “pay as you go” service can cost about half the price of a full bandwidth T1 line. The major plus of burstable T1 is that the highest 5% of bandwidth usage for each month is “free.” That’s how burstable billing works.

Billing is based on sustained usage levels during the month, as determined by traffic samples taken every five minutes, seven days a week. Your monthly charge is determined by the usage level under which 95% of samples fall. So lets say 95% of the samples taken in a month fall below 6Mbps. Your usage tier would be 0-6 Mbps. That tier would be at a certain rate, but the full bandwidth is still available should you need to use it. Burstable T1 connections are technically more complicated but are very cost effective and give high performance.

MPLS… Multi-Protocol Label Switching! Not to be Confused with Minneapolis

MPLS… Multi-Protocol Label Switching! Not to be Confused with Minneapolis
MPLS for the speed and efficiency you need.

Multi-Protocol Label Switch, or MPLS, is a standards-approved technology for speeding up network traffic flow and making it easier to manage. It acts the same way as VPN tunneling, in that it encapsulates protocols and data before sending them out in their own tunnels. Sometimes, MPLS is referred to as “Layer 2.5” because it emulates properties of Layer 2 (data link layer i.e. Ethernet) and Layer 3 (networking layer i.e. Internet Protocol, or IP).

MPLS is just a newer way of doing the same work that frame-relay and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) do. MPLS is becoming more popular because it is better suited for current and future technology needs. In particular, MPLS skips the cell switching and signaling-protocol of ATM. ATM breaks up data into encrypted fixed-sized cells to send out between two end points. MPLS recognizes that small ATM cells are not needed in the core of modern networks, since modern optical networks are so fast (at 10 Gbit/s and well beyond) that even full-length 1500-byte packets don’t suffer any real noticeable real-time delays. Thus, because of the increased bandwidth available, traffic engineering and out-of-band control, which frame relay and ATM became popular for, is still maintained.

MPLS was originally called “Tag Switching” by its developers from Cisco Systems, Inc., and was renamed "Label Switching" when it was handed over to the IETF for open standardization. It was developed to make way for the creation of simple high-speed switches, since it was impossible to forward IP packets in its entirety through hardware for a long period of telecommunications. Recently, advances in VLSI (Very-large-scale integration) have made the hardware possible for such duties, but the systemic advantages of MPLS, such as the ability to support multiple service models, do traffic management, etc., remain.

Instead of encrypting packets, MPLS adds a 32-bit tag to packet headers. MPLS works by pre-pending packets with an MPLS header, containing one or more 'labels'. The packets are called label stacks. Each stack contains four fields: a 20-bit value, a 3-bit field for QoS priority, a 1-bit ‘bottom of stack’ flag (meaning if set, the current label is the last of the stack), and an 8-bit TTYL (time to live) field.

When packets enter an MPLS-based network, Label Edge Routers (LERs) give them a label (identifier). A tag router, the ingress router, will examine the desired destination address, and creates a tag that chooses a virtual circuit or label switch path for that packet. From there on out, tag switches will only look at the tags to determine how to forward the packet. Routers that are performing routing based only on Label Switching are called Label Switch Routers (LSR). There may be multiple routes available for each label switch path so that the tag switches can manage outages, congestion and differentiated services. At the egress point, the exit router, the MPLS tag is removed before sending the packets on their way.

Processing small tags is faster than having to deal with larger headers at each router, creating choke points for data flow. Another advantage of MPLS networks is that it can be designed to provide more bandwidth, or shorter latency paths for voice packets in VoIP telephone systems. Video packets are extremely heavy on bandwidth so it would be best not to funnel them into paths where computers are backing up large databases. Through MPLS networks, voice and video can have the bandwidth needed to maintain quality of service.

When properly designed, deployed, and maintained, MPLS in a private network is a powerful tool to increase business efficiency while reducing costs and improving performance. MPLS networks are now spreading to include access networks.

To set up MPLS or other networking services for your business, check out T1 Stop Shop.

Circuit Switching vs. Packet Switching: What’s the huge difference anyway?

Circuit Switching vs. Packet Switching
What’s the huge difference anyway?

First off, let me explain switches in general. A switched network goes through a switch instead of a router. Most networks are actually headed toward flat switches on VLANs instead of routers. A router can handle the work of a switch, but much of IT today is going toward flat switched networks. So when we’re talking about circuit switching or packet switching, we are more and more talking about doing it on a switch.

Now in my last two articles, I’ve explained the differences between circuit switching networks and packet switching networks. In principle, circuit switching and packet switching both are used in high-capacity networks. Circuit switching establishes a direct point-to-point connection is made, like in a telephone call. The dedicated line cannot be used by anyone else while it’s already in use by two other users. Packet switching doesn’t require the direct line of contact, and uses any available network connections to route data packets (data, voice, video, etc.) through different routes until it reaches its destination where the packets are reassembled to its original message.


Comparisons:

Circuit switching –
1) Ideal when data must be transmitted quickly, arrive in sequencing order, and at a constant arrival rate. Ideally, it is used for transmitting real-time data, such as audio and video.
2) Network resources are static.
3) Dominates the public switched telephone network or PSTN

Packet Switching –
1) More efficient and robust for data that is burst in its nature, and can withstand delays in transmission, such as e-mail messages, and Web pages.
2) Uses communication lines that are not dedicated to passing messages from the source to the destination. Different messages can use the same network resources within the same time period.
3) Dominates data networks like the Internet.


The difference in real-world situations:

Packet switching is acceptable when calling up a web page or downloading a file, since a tiny delay is hardly noticed. These tiny delays are very noticeable with voice, though. This point is really important. Circuit switching guarantees the best sounding call because all packets go in order without delay. Delays in packet switching for voice causes cause voice quality to fall apart, as anyone who has used VoIP can tell you.

Bottom line: circuit switching is more reliable than packet switching. When you have a circuit dedicated for a session, you are sure to get all information across. When you use a circuit which is open for other services, then there is a big possibility of congestion (which is like a traffic jam in a network), and hence the delays or even packet loss. This explains the relatively lower quality of VoIP voice compared to PSTN.

Even so, there are protocols giving a helping hand in making packet-switching techniques to make connections more reliable. An example is the TCP protocol. Since voice is to some extent tolerant to some packet loss, packet switching is ideal for VoIP.

When you are making a PSTN call, you are actually renting the lines. This explains why international calls are expensive. Expensive enough for many people to sacrifice quality for cost efficiency. You pay for each and every minute you spend CONNECTED on a dedicated line. In a conversation, you take turn speaking. Plus, there are those moments where there is silence. Ultimately, you’re only using less than half the time of what you are paying for. With VoIP, you actually can use a network or circuit, even if there are other people using it at the same time. There is no circuit dedication. The cost is shared.


Future of circuit and packet switching for telephony:

Packet switching is getting better with improved VoIP technologies, but it may never replace the dominance of circuit switching in PSTN. Replacing circuit switched switches with packet switches across the country would be a monumental task, requiring billions of dollars over years and years. Plus, lengthy calls over the Internet place huge demands on switches that were never planned for, tying up circuits longer than ever imagined. Change is probably going to come at some point, and the Internet's traffic now motivates engineers to move toward a unified switching method in the PSTN.

While the PSTN creeps towards convergence, many telecom companies are looking at placing calls over packet switched local area networks the Internet. A company with a packet based switch will allow you to eventually store all of your e-mails, pages, faxes, and voice calls on a single computer which also acts as your phone. Convergence would enable us to access all these features. Software, not hardware, would be used to utilize features like conferencing and call forwarding; or even video conferencing if the number dialed at the office is to a computer and not to a desk telephone. The drive toward unified packet switching will enable a brand new future for the public telephone system.

Packet Switching: Circuit Switching’s Nemesis… Well alternative, but “Nemesis” is more dramatic and funnier to say

Packet Switching
Circuit Switching’s Nemesis… Well alternative, but “Nemesis” is more dramatic and funnier to say

Packet switching is a WAN (Wide Area Network) technology of protocols that divide messages/data into packets (units of information carriage), then route them individually to its destination. During the transfer of the packets, the packets can be delivered altogether or independently of each other through different routes. Once at its destination, they are recompiled into the original message.

To prevent unpredictably long delays and ensure that the network has a reliably fast transit time, a maximum length is allowed for each packet. This is why a message would be submitted to the “transport layer” first, and then divided by the “transport protocol” entity into a number of smaller packet units before transmission. The end result is a reassembled message at the destination. This method of transferring data optimizes bandwidth available in a network to minimize the transmission latency (time it takes for data to pass across a network), and to increase the strength of communication.

The costs to customers using packet switching are lower than point-to-point lines because packet switching is more efficient in using a network infrastructure. The carrier can create virtual circuits between customers’ sites through its packet routing protocols. The section of the network that is shared is often referred to as a “cloud.” Packet switching is also called connectionless networking because no physical connections, like circuit switching, are established.

Packet-switched networks using satellite or terrestrial radio as the transmission medium are known as packet satellite or packet radio networks, respectively. These networks were designed for covering large areas for mobile stations, or for applications that benefit from the availability of real-time information at several locations.

Handling messages of different lengths was always done very well by packet switching, as well as different priorities when quality of service (QoS) attributes were included. Packet switching was originally designed for data, but lately packet networks are becoming the norm for voice and video as well.

The most well known use of packet switching is the Internet, which is often referred to as a “Datagram Packet Switching Network.” The first international standard for wide area packet switching networks was X.25. Other examples of packet switching are Ethernet, frame relay, and mobile phone technologies such as GPRS and I-mode.

Already, we can see that there is more flexibility with packet switching than with circuit switching. The Internet, which is a widely used infrastructure, can be used efficiently without the need for a point-to-point connection that circuit-switching networks require.

Come back later this week as I compare circuit switching and packet switching.

Circuit Switching: What is it? Why do we use it? What is it used for?

Circuit switching is the most common method used to build communication networks in the world. In telecommunications, a circuit-switching network is one that establishes a dedicated circuit (or channel) between nodes and terminals before the users may communicate. A physical point-to-point path is obtained and dedicated to a single connection between two end-points in the network for the duration of the connection.

Early telephone exchanges are a good example of circuit switching. A caller would have to ask the operator to connect them to the person the caller wanted to reach. This was then done on the same exchange or via an inter-exchange link and another operator. The two parties in the phone call would then be in a physical electrical connection through their telephones for the duration of the call. During that time, no one else can use the physical lines involved, even if no actual communication is taking place in the dedicated circuit, that channel still remains unavailable to other users. Channels that are available for new calls to be set up are said to be idle.

In modern circuit-switched networks, electronic signals pass through several switches before a connection is established. And during a call, no other network traffic can use those switches.

Switched circuits allow data connections that can be initiated when needed and terminated when communication is complete. This works much like a normal telephone line works for voice communication. Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) is another good example of circuit switching. When a router has data for a remote site, the switched circuit is initiated with the circuit number of the remote network. In the case of ISDN circuits, the device actually places a call to the telephone number of the remote ISDN circuit. When the two networks are connected and authenticated, they can transfer data.

Circuit switching technology became a necessity for communications equipment that required high quality, real-time data transmission. Circuit switch technology allowed high-speed, low latency, simultaneous connections between mainframes, workstations, servers, and data storage systems.

Since the first days of the telegraph it is possible to multiplex multiple connections over the same physical conductor, Regardless, though, each channel on the multiplexed link was either dedicated to one call at a time, or it was idle between calls. Circuit switching can be relatively inefficient because capacity is wasted on connections, which are set up but are not in continuous use (however momentarily). On the other hand, the connection is immediately available and capacity is guaranteed until the call is disconnected.

I’ll talk about packet switching in the next article, and how it’s seen as a better alternative to circuit switching.

Plug in the Computer and Log-on at the Same Time, Broadband over Power Lines Coming Soon

Plug in the Computer and Log-on at the Same Time
Broadband over Power Lines Coming Soon (?)

Something I’m sure a lot of people don’t know about is BPL. What is BPL you say? Point proven. BPL is “Broadband over Power Lines. The idea of BPL is that you can plug your computer into any electrical outlet at home and have high-speed Internet immediately. This technology combines the radio, wireless networking, and modem technology to send data over power lines in speeds comparable to DSL and cable (between 500 kb and 300Mbps).

The big upside to having BPL is that rural areas, where access to high-speed Internet is not readily available, can have access to broadband service, simply by tweaking current power grids with specialized equipment. Having access to electricity gives access to broadband Internet! Imagine that.

Right now, there are two types of BPL service: In-house BPL and Access BPL. In-house BPL can network machines at home, like home appliances (i.e. light switches, televisions, sound systems, etc.) Access BPL will carry broadband Internet using power lines and allow power companies to electronically monitor power systems.

BPL would data through the current infrastructure of power lines, so new fiber-optic lines don’t have to be laid out by phone companies. The thing is, fiber-optic lines were very stable and could transmit trillions, yes with a “T”, of bytes of data a day without interfering with other types of transmissions. BPL is based on the concept of bundling radio frequency (RF) with AC (alternating current) to transfer data on the same lines. Electric companies have used this technology for years to monitor the performance of power grids. The infrastructures of these power grids consist of generators, substations, transformers, and everything in between that carries electricity into your home.

An issue with sending radio signals through alternating current is the “noise” of electricity. At high voltages, the “noise” is heard as a humming noise you are all familiar with. At high voltages of electricity spikes in frequency and BPL requires electrical power to maintain a separate frequency than it uses, or data can be damaged or completely lost during transmission. To avoid this problem, BPL providers would skip that part of the electrical infrastructure and move down to the medium-voltage power lines. As it travels through these medium-voltage lines, data can only go so far before degrading, so repeaters would have to be installed along the way to repeat the data in a new transmission for the next stretch of transmission. Once the electricity and data arrives at its destination, your home, it would have to be separated. Repeaters are used to separate the low-voltage data signals to bypass transformers, otherwise data can degrade. The final stretch of the transmission is the signal into your home. Some companies carry the signal directly into your home whereas other companies install wireless devices on poles.

Once inside your home, BPL modems specially designed for pulling data out of an electrical current are plugged into your electrical outlet and into your computer. The BPL modem is PnP, and is the size of a typical power adapter. The wire to your computer is an Ethernet cable. BPL modems also come in wireless models.

BPL technology has been slower to develop in North America. More equipment would have to be installed overall in North America. As said before, repeaters have to be installed on poles to separate the low-voltage data currents, but it’s not uncommon that one distribution transformer is connected to only one house, whereas 10 to 100 homes can be hooked up to the same transformers in Europe. An upside to this is that since bandwidth is limited, users can benefit from increased speeds since fewer homes are sharing the same connection. There are currently a few developers trying to work out the kinks of this technology, but there are issues that are slowing down approval by the FCC and IEEE.

BPL runs into FCC conflicts with radio-frequency emission limits. Since electrical cables are not shielded in shielded cables like on TV, cable TV, and telephone lines, they are clear of interference problems. Power lines have no shielding, and in many cases, the power line is a bare wire. This lack of shielding provides frequency interference. The interfering signals can disrupt air traffic control radios, police radios, and other short-wave radio transmissions. The amount of bandwidth a BPL system can provide CONSISTENTLY compared to cable and wireless is also in question.

If BPL does work out and become standardized, I can only imagine the possibilities of convenience at home. Hooking up your sound system and TV would be a cinch through your electrical “network.” You can sync your alarm clock, light switch, and coffee maker in the morning via broadband. The current citywide Wi-Fi Internet infrastructure being installed in some American cities would be obsolete, or welded into the infrastructure of BPL. Can all this work, or is it wishful thinking? I hope it works because, most importantly, more people that currently don’t have access to high-speed Internet will be able to connect, making our already small world an even smaller one.

*Cue music* It’s a small world after all.

Create an Online Private Network That’s Secure and Reliable.

Create an Online Private Network That’s Secure and Reliable.
Virtual Reality? Not Quite. It’s a Virtual Private Network! YAY!


Not too long ago, companies with users and offices geographically separated had to use intranets (password-protected sites designed for use only by company employees) or leased lines, like ISDN or OC3 fiber, to maintain a Wide Area Network (WAN) for fast and secure digital communication. The growing popularity of the Internet convinced some businesses to turn towards it as way of extending its own networks; in comes VPN. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a private communications network used mainly by companies, or other organizations, to securely connect remote sites or users together over a public network (usually the Internet). VPN traffic is carried through an existing networking infrastructure on top of standard protocols, or over a service provider's private network with a defined Service Level Agreement (SLA) between the VPN customer and the VPN service provider.

One common type of VPN, typically used by a large business with hundreds of sales people in the field, is “remote-access” also called a virtual private dial-up network (VPDN). This is a user-to-LAN connection used by a company with employees who need to connect to the private network from various remote locations. If a company needs to set up a large remote-access VPN, they will typically subcontract an enterprise service provider (ESP). The ESP sets up a network access server (NAS), which remote users would reach by dialing a toll-free number. The ESP provides telecommuters with desktop client software for their computer, which is used to access the corporate network. Through the use of a third-party service provider, remote-access VPNs permit secure, encrypted connections between a company’s LAN and remote users.

Another type of VPN is “site-to-site.” A company can connect multiple fixed sites over a public network, such as the Internet, through the use of dedicated equipment and large-scale encryption. There are two kinds of site-to-site VPNs: Intranet-based and Extranet-based. Intranet-based VPN connects remote user(s) to a single private network. Extranet-based VPN is a network that connects business partners LAN to LAN and allows all of the various companies to work in a separate, shared environment.

A well-designed VPN consists of security, reliability, scalability, and integrated network and policy management. These features can improve security, reduce operation costs versus WAN, provide a convenient remote workstations for employees, provide global network opportunities, provide telecommuter support, and provide broadband networking compatibility.

VPN keeps your connection and data secure over the information superhighway, known as the Internet, through the use of firewalls, encryptions, IPSecs, and AAA Servers.
A firewall is the first line of defense between your private network and the Internet. You can restrict the number of open ports, what types of packets are passed through, and which protocols are allowed.
Encryption is the process of taking the data sent from one computer and encoding the data so that when sent, only the receiving computer can decode the information.
Internet Protocol Security Protocol (IPSec) provides enhanced security features like better encryption algorithms, and more comprehensive authentication. IPSec can encrypt data between various devices, such as: router to router, firewall to router, PC to router, and PC to server.
AAA (authentication, authorization, and accounting) servers are used to secure access in a remote-access VPN environment. During the dial-up request by a user to establish a network connection, the AAA server checks who you are (authentication), what you’re allowed to do (authorization), and what you actually do while logged on (accounting). Accounting information is useful for tracking client use for securing auditing, billing, or reporting purposes.

The beauty of VPN over the Internet is its scalability. This is a major advantage over having typical leased lines. Leased lines are direct, and its cost increases proportionately to distances involved between offices. A VPN uses an existing infrastructure, the Internet, to connect members of a network securely and quickly without the cost issues.

Most VPNs rely on tunneling to create a a private network that reaches across the Internet. Tunneling is the transmission of data through a public network in such a way that routing nodes in the public network are unaware that the transmission is part of a private network. Essentially, tunneling places an entire packet within another packet and sends it over a network. The network and both points, called tunnel interfaces, where the packet enters and exits the network, understand the protocol of the outer packet. Tunneling allows the use of public networks (i.e. the Internet), to carry data on behalf of users as though they had access to a 'private network', hence the name “VPN.”

Tunneling requires three different protocols: Carrier protocol, encapsulating protocol, and passenger protocol. To clearly explain what these protocols do, I think it’s best to use an analogy: It’s like mailing a care package sent to a friend through the post office. The post office loads the package (passenger protocol) into a box (encapsulating protocol), which is then put into a postal truck (carrier protocol) at the Post Office (entry tunnel interface). The truck travels the highways (Internet) to your friend’s home (exit tunnel interface), and delivers the package. Your friend opens the box (encapsulating protocol) and removes the package.

Hopefully this article helps you understand VPN a bit. It’s a great way for companies to provide its employees a secure and reliable way to connect from any location. For more information, please visit Nationwide VPN.

Bonded T1. Before You Upgrade to T3, Take a Look at Your Options

Bond… Bonded T1.
Before You Upgrade to T3, Take a Look at Your Options

In my previous search for residential T1 lines, I came across the option of bonded T1 technology. Basically, a bonded T1 line is more than one regular T1 line “bonded” or joined together to increase bandwidth speeds. Inverse multiplexing (IMUX) divides traffic from a single bit stream among multiple circuits. This means that traffic from a single source is distributed across the individual circuits to make use of, say, the 3Mb of bandwidth from two bonded lines.

A full T1 line provides approximately 1.5Mbps of broadband speed. You would estimate an additional 1.5Mbps for each extra T1 line in a bonded line, meaning 2 lines equate to 3MB, 3 lines equals 4.5, and so on. With that said, I need to point out that the T1 lines must also run into the same end router, meaning they must run through the same Internet Service Provider (ISP) in order to bond them. Having two lines from different ISPs may load balance the data flow, but it won’t be a true bonded line with exponential results in bandwidth. Plus, not every company offers bonded T1, so snoop around to find out what ISP best suits your needs.

Why have bonded T1? Well it’s always a matter of dollar signs. Most corporations expanding beyond the limits of their T1 service choose to move onto fractional T3 lines, which deliver about 3 to 22 Mbps. Bonded T1 is a viable alternative because the costs are usually cheaper. An ISP I found advertises that their bonded T1 lines are 75% CHEAPER than a fractional T3. Prices vary, but the average price of a fractional T3 line is fixed around $3,500 a month.

Let me provide a charge of bonded T1 pricing:

# of T1 Lines Bonded	Mbps	Price ($)
2	3	840
3	4.5	1130
4	6	1420
5	7.5	1700
6	9	1970
7	10.5	2230
8	12	2480

A T3 line would cost about $4600 a month, and $3,500 for 10Mb Fractional T3.

Bonded T1 lines are redundant, meaning if any lines fail at the moment, the data will be piped through the other lines in the bonded line to provide consistent data flow.

The maximum of lines bonded is usually around 4 T1s, although some have gone as far as 8. However, if you go beyond 4 bonded T1's it makes much more sense to start looking at a fractional/burstable DS3. Take into consideration that 8 bonded T1s would get you about 12Mbps. Those of you who need heavy-duty bandwidth should seriously consider getting a T3 line, which provides 45Mbps worth of speed.

Corporations who jump from a dual bonded T1 speed to a 6 Mbps T3 will typically incur a larger monthly price than that of just adding more T1s. The draw to T3 is found in its scalability properties. Upgrades are a matter of resizing the port, which will rarely take more than a few days, and the T3 line can go up to 45 Mbps. As users scale above 9 Mbps, the T3 begins to become the better-priced option.

Hopefully this helps those of you out there who are looking for more than a regular T1 can offer, but something cheaper than a T3. It’s really up to what you think your company needs.

A “Detailed” PBX Explanation That Won’t Go Over Your Head… Hopefully.

A “Detailed” PBX Explanation That Won’t Go Over Your Head… Hopefully.

Hey guys. Today I’m going to talk about Private Automatic Branch eXchange, or “PBX.” Nowadays, it’s referred to anything related to telephony, but the term originated from the telephone exchange that consisted of manually operated switches connecting phone calls. PBX was initially used for a private network, e.g. a company’s office building. Everything connected to a PBX were eventually dubbed “extensions,” which is a term familiar to everyone who was ever asked for an “extension” during a phone call. Connections out of the private exchange are connected through trunk lines (Interesting fact: “Trunk” originated from the thick gray cables used in early telephony that reminded people of elephant trunks, and the telephone poles that were basically tree trunks).

I mentioned that PBX used to be manually operated by operators. You may remember old movies where an operator would actually answer the phone when a character wanted to make the call, and had to ask to be connected. Eventually switches were replaced by automated electromechanical, and then electronic switching systems, called PABX (Private Automatic Branch eXchange). PBX in the industry was then renamed PMBX (Private Manual Branch eXchange). The term “PBX” eventually came back into use in place of PABX because it was such a widely used term, and had familiarity with those who used the new switch operating systems. Those of you at work who have to dial “0” or “9” to dial out an “outside number” are using a PBX line. Now you have a term to go with the system you use everyday.

For those of you reading this and find the information dense, I’ll breakdown PBX’s three main duties:
1) Establishing connections (circuits) between the telephone sets of two users (e.g. mapping a dialed number to a physical phone, ensuring the phone isn't already busy)
2) Maintaining such connections as long as the users require them (i.e. channeling voice signals between the users)
3) Providing information for accounting purposes (e.g. metering calls)
Different manufacturers have developed different features for PBX, which include but not limited to: auto dialing, call forwarding, call transfer, call waiting, conference calling, music on hold, and voice mail.

The advent of the Internet has changed PBX systems with the use of VoIP. Yes, I’ve mentioned VoIP again folks. Right now, IP Centrex (contraction of Central Telephone Exchange) is very popular, but far from the original concept of PBX. We’ll have to see if VoIP technology will dominate this sector of telecommunications as much as it seems to be dominating the residential phone and cell phone industry.

Previewing the iPhone Revolution - Who exactly is Apple targeting?

Previewing the iPhone Revolution

It seems as though I’m going to be a couple months behind, but I have to talk about the Apple iPhone. Everyone on the net is talking about it, so why shouldn’t I?

First off, I want to say that the iPhone is pretty cool, but I personally am not interested. Yah, I’ve said it, I’m not interested in it. Maybe if I owned my own iPod, then I might toot a different story, but I don’t think that would even change my opinion. When the iPhone was announced and every major news source covered the story, I was amazed at the types of things the iPhone could do in the demonstrations. Then I thought about it and realized… “Wait, what CAN it do? Everything they showed are aesthetics.” You know, stuff like non-touch key pad, the look, the cool icons, etc. Well, I’ve looked into it and here’s the breakdown.

Positives:
Wi-Fi VoIP capabilities: The iPhone will have VoIP capabilities, along with a partnership with Jajah to go with it. Apple also has their iChat, so I wouldn’t be surprised if you were able to call other iChat members for free. The Wi-Fi capabilities may allow VoIP calls done over the Internet through Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution aka EDGE (which probably should be mentioned under the negative section since it’s infamously slow) wireless technology, also allowing cheaper or free calls. I just wonder what Cingular, who is the exclusive cellular provider for the iPhone, thinks of all this.
OS X: The Apple OS is going to be running on the Apple iPhone, which is already a point to check the phone out. Chances are, this will be a limited, if not watered-down, version of the OS X. Mac users can breath easier now because the iPhone will have full compatibility with their computers, as opposed to the Windows Mobile phones dominating the market.
Look and Design: You can’t deny the fact that it looks really cool.
Built-in Advanced Sensors: The accelerometer allows you to rotate the device from portrait to landscape and the phone will change the display automatically. The ambient light sensor will adjust the screen’s brightness depending on the ambient light surrounding the phone.
Screen: The iPhone has a fairly large screen (3.5-inch), and is a widescreen when rotated, with a fairly high-rez so that you can watch videos.

Negatives:
Touchpad: Depending on who you are, you’ll have different opinions on this feature. It looked really cool in the demonstration, but I really wonder about its practicality. Many users want the numeric keypad. Emailing will be considerably slower, and so will texts. The touchpad is part of Apple’s design philosophy of “less is better”, but for an all-in-one phone, less is NOT better.
EDGE: I said it should be here in the negative section, and here it is. With EDGE in place, Cingular can’t provide a true 3G iPhone. The EDGE network can support email and widgets and surfing, but also forces iPhone users to get most of their higher-resolution video through iTunes.
Closed System: Apple won’t allow third-party developers to build software for it. Yes, if you own a PDA, then you’ll understand more than anyone this problem. I think one of the great things about high-end phones is that you can add third-party programs, customize your phone, and have a lot of neat tools added on. Closing the system will make this phone a literal “get what you paid for” item.
Cingular: Don’t get me wrong, I personally like Cingular, but having the iPhone exclusive to only Cingular customers is an issue. Many people with tech gadgets like to have their options, which tie in with the issue of being a closed system, as well. Perhaps there will be an unlocked iPhone down the line for those who want different cellular companies, but as for now, its only Cingular. There are also those who don’t have Cingular contracts that will have to either break their contracts (which costs money in most cases), or figure out a way to switch out of their service.
Limited Storage: iPod users are used to 30GB and 60GB storage space. Will the measly 8GB be enough? Maybe Apple anticipated the new D.A.V.E. by Seagate.
The Price: Now I don’t know about everyone else, but c’mon. $499+ is a bit steep. There are other high-end telephones that are around that price range, more expensive even, but they offer a lot of features iPhone does not. Apple probably kept this in mind since they only planned on a 10-million unit release.

Questions To Be Answered (since it’s a high-end phone I’ll ask “smart phone” questions):
What kind of Microsoft support will be available? (i.e. Outlook, Word, Exel, etc.)
It will have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, but can it be used as a laptop modem?
Video recording?
Voice features like voice dialing and voice memos?
Battery life? This is the question that’s on everyone’s mind, and one problem that’s plagued iPod users ever since the first iPod came out. An mp3 player with a dead battery was a bummer, but how bout an mp3 player/cell phone with a dead battery?
I don’t think I ever saw anyone mention features like USB ports, SD and MicroSD slots, etc. Will the iPhone have these features?

The target audience of the Apple iPhone is identical to the iPod’s existing market. I personally don’t see a new version of the iPod coming out, as I believe the iPhone is the newer version, albeit there’s less storage capacity, but tons more features. The only problem is whether the loyal Apple iPod fans will all transition over to the iPhone, not unlike they way they bought every new version of the iPod as they were cranked out. Plus, Cingular’s exclusivity with the iPhone brings up the question of whether or not everyone with different cell companies will switch over with a new two-year plan, and whether Cingular’s current users will all switch to the new $499+ phone.

I don’t mean to bash iPhone, because I know this article sounds like I’m very anti-iPhone, but I do suggest everyone that’s looking to buy a new cell phone to do their research. The iPhone is mainly targeting Apple’s iPod fan base, and may sway more casual cell phone users into the high-end spectrum. This is a cool looking phone that will probably work well. Just don’t expect it to be a business/work extension like a PDA can be. The iPhone’s features maybe enough, or too much for you, but just make sure it’s the right buy for you to shell out half a grand. Maybe save that for the Apple TV coming out.

Nintendo DS update - VoIP and Wi-Fi Internet Capabilities

Nintendo Fans... VoIP and Wi-Fi Has Arrived!

Okay, I have to admit that I’ve talked about VoIP for a while, and every one of my blogs have been about VoIP, aside from my very first, but I have to talk about the VoIP news over from Nintendo. They’re releasing Pokémon Diamond Version and Pokémon Pearl Version for the Nintendo DS. The games themselves are not the most exciting news, but the games having wireless capabilities are! The games will allow up to 8 players to connect, play, and talk trash live via VoIP technology. Yes, the Nintendo DS is integrated with Wi-Fi Internet to allow players to log onto a server to find other plays for competitive play. You can play with anyone around the world now.

Now because the company is Nintendo, kids are still the main target audience, which would explain why the technology coincides with a Pokémon game, so Nintendo won’t let the user connect to just any stranger, and possible pedophile, online. Otherwise, we might see a new edition of How to Catch a Predator. The only way you can connect to another player is to be around a Wi-Fi connection and enter your Friend Codes into the handheld gaming system. With VoIP technology on the Nintendo DS, players will be able to use a built-in microphone to talk to friends before, during, and after games. It’s pretty much like a VoIP cell phone for kids, because you can “call” any of your friends by dialing their Friend Code and viola! As long as both parties are around a Wi-Fi connection, The Nintendo DS headset (sold separately) is an accessory you can buy to make conversations easier.

"The amazing wireless and voice chat features of Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl offer gamers something completely new," says George Harrison, Nintendo of America's senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. "We make games for everybody, and these Pokémon titles are sure to be a hit with new and returning players."

About 9 months ago, Vonage announced their release of a portable VoIP phone that can be connected to a USB port of any computer connected to broadband Internet, and make VoIP calls instantly. Looks like Nintendo is literally making child’s play of VoIP telephony by going wireless. Of course, you can’t make actual phone calls with the Nintendo DS, but who knows, the basics are there already.

Just goes to show you how fast VoIP technology is spreading to other aspects of our lives. VoIP technology is now in handheld games! To think, just 10 years ago, I had to use a standard telephone to talk to friends while gaming. I’m amazed. What’s next? With companies like Apple releasing its iPhone with rumored VoIP technology, others are sure to follow. I’m sure VoIP will eventually establish itself as a feature on many, if not most phones in the future.

VoIP Telephony Part 3: The Downside and Security Flaws of VoIP Telephony

VoIP Telephony Part 3 of 3

In the last two weeks I talked about VoIP telephony, and all its advantages (lower prices, portability, etc), but there is a reason it hasn’t caught on like wildfire, and why you’re not scrambling to get it for yourself.

The beauty of VoIP service is that it runs like “another program” through your computer, or through a gateway if you use an IP phone. This beauty is also where the problem lies. Using a telephone service over the Internet will expose you to all the Internet security issues currently floating around the cyber world. A comparison used a lot is between Broadband Phone and emails. Emails are sent through the Internet and are vulnerable to anyone trying to exploit security holes. As with emails, VoIP telephone calls can be attacked by a hacker so that the attacker can gain access to your computer, personal information, and system access.

Spamming can occur, or DoS (Denial of Service) maybe sent to the system network. DoS can wreak havoc to businesses, especially ones that aren’t equipped with security features that protect against security exploits. A network can be shut down and phone lines, which are part of the network in this case, will be out of service until the network can be restored to working order.

Eavesdropping is also a possible problem. The problem may be worse than eavesdropping on a standard telephone line. With VoIP telephone, a hacker can gain access to more than one telephone line once the network is broken into. Through the use of the right tools and programs, a hacker can use their laptop and tap into anyone’s VoIP conversations by redirecting their IP packets to their computer. This may lead to more compromising situations like intercepting phone calls containing sensitive information with a bank, or even rerouting a genuine call to a bank so that the hacker can easily impersonate the bank. A form of “phishing” can happen in this case. A popular form of “phishing” is with PayPal. Emails are sent to unsuspecting users asking for login information or credit card information. The emails look legitimate and gullible users will pretty much “hand” over severely damaging information over to these Internet thieves. With an IP phone number, hackers can make cheaper calls (one of the upsides remember?) to the correct numbers, and sucker in the owner of the number with similar phishing tactics as the PayPal scheme.

There are ways to help minimize the threat through the use of firewalls or encryption of VoIP traffic through a VPN Service. you can minimize the more common security threats VoIP and emails share. Microsoft had to release many patches to secure their Outlook program, which still suffers from constant security issues. You can expect ITSP and networking companies to start putting in as much work as Microsoft did, and maybe more, to secure their services. If not, then you can expect them to receive similar flak, and I’m sure that’s a problem the service providers would like to avoid.

Aside from security issues, VoIP telephone service has some drawbacks in general use. Heavy Internet traffic on specific networks, or loss of data packets can cause a loss of parts of conversations, or just drop them completely. I mentioned before that making 911 calls can be troublesome because your location is difficult to locate over the Internet. Because you’re difficult to locate, your call will have trouble being connected to your nearest emergency call center for help. I also mentioned that “e911” is a solution in the works, but it’s still not standard.

Regardless of its current disadvantages, VoIP is still steadily growing rapidly. The problems I addressed, as well as the ones I haven’t, are being pressed out and solved as we speak. Companies like Cisco Systems, Avaya, Nortel, Siemens are putting a lot of their resources into this security, as they know a lot of money is to be made in this growing tool online. I don’t blame them; VoIP telephone service is looking like a possible “next big thing” waiting to catch fire, once consumers catch on to it. As far as I know, there haven’t been any major attacks towards VoIP providers or VoIP customers, but it’s pretty safe to bet that the network companies I mentioned are working to keep it that way. The cost cutting benefits of VoIP telephoning is hard to overlook. It’s not without its flaws, but like everything else, it can only improve and come with more options. Bring on the patches and updates!

VoIP Telephony Part 2: VoIP Integration with Standard Phones and Cell Networks

VoIP Telephony Part 2 of 3

Many Internet telephony service providers (ITSP) are integrating their services into your current phone lines. VoIP is still widely used in two main ways: 1) Through a desktop computer, and 2) Through standard telephones patched through your Broadband connection. Now there is a third way, your cell phone.

Currently, a company called Jajah has service to allow customers to set up VoIP calls from their cell phones. They have announced that it will support Apple’s iPhone when it hits the market this summer. The folks over at DiVitas Networks are currently developing a way for cell phones to detect a WiFi connections and seamlessly switch from a cell network, and vice versa. This can help reduce cell phone usage costs.

VoIP telephone lines are becoming more and more popular with small and large corporations. Companies, such as NationwideLD, are trying to take advantage of its popularity by offering telephone services that can come out cheaper than the traditional land-based telephone companies. VoIP technology is an inexpensive alternative for long distance calls. That can save a lot of money for a business that needs to make a lot of calls to business associates in different parts of the world. Different extensions can be set up, much like a traditional phone line, and companies can even keep their current/original phone numbers. The same goes for residential VoIP use.

I’m sure everyone is familiar with cable and DSL companies offering telephone service in packages, especially cable companies that offer cable TV and internet. I’ve thought about getting one of these packages myself, but I’ve stopped myself short of getting everything in one bundled package. The reason?

Well, I’ve had cable TV and cable Internet shut down on me. Whether it be a system upgrade by the cable/ISP provider, or a power out, there is downtime and the consumer has no power over it. Imagine having a phone line through an Internet company and one of these outages happens or if electricity is down. No Internet service, no phone. Not a situation you would want to be in, in case of an emergency.

There are also concerns with 911 calls. A 911 call is usually connected to the nearest call center, but through VoIP, it’s hard to determine. Though a feature called “e911” does exist, and can direct you to the nearest call center, a lot of the VoIP companies don’t offer it, yet.

There are many other downsides to using a VoIP phone line, and I’ll cover that in the conclusion of my three-part blog on VoIP telephony. Regardless, though, VoIP companies are working towards solutions to all these issues in order to gain more subscribers in a growing lucrative market. The next wave of communication is on the horizon. Cell phones companies will have to deal with the new ITSP upstarts trying to take their customers. When the price of communication gets cheaper, I have a feeling “free minutes” on cell phones will be a thing of the past, and roaming charges will seem as primitive as the old “brick phones” used in the early 90s.

VoIP Telephony Part 1: VoIP Telephone and Developments

VoIP Telephony Part 1 of 3:

Last year when I was in the Bahamas, I saw some people using an online telephone company called Skype to call loved ones back here at home. The phone call is connected through the internet, and for mere pennies per minute, you can use a microphone hooked up to your desktop, or other IP telephone accessories, and get cheap telephone calls through VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology and programs. Now I know that Skype has a single payment for unlimited calls for a year, but other companies may have competitive pricing. You can look it up for yourself.

I didn’t know what VoIP was, or anything related to the matter, all I knew was that there was a way of calling home without the roaming charges that came with using my cell phone out of the country. The VoIP calls home to my family were clear, cheap, and easy to make. After discovering that making phone calls over the Internet was possible (and a whole lot cheaper), I freely called home during the last few days I was out of the country.

Wikipedia explains that “Voice over Internet Protocol, also called VoIP, IP Telephony, Internet telephony, Broadband telephony, Broadband Phone, and Voice over Broadband is the routing of voice conversations over the Internet or through any other IP-based network. If you’ve used Ventrilo, or built-in voice chats on online video games (i.e. Counter-strike Source, Battlefield 2), then you’ve used a form of VoIP. VoIP telephony is a bit different. With a gaming VoIP, you need a server to host your conversations, and your computer. There are companies, like Vonage, that will charge you for services, but you won’t need your computer to make the call. These companies are known as Internet telephony service provider (ITSP). In the subscription bundle, you should receive an analog telephone adapter (ATA), which connects your router to your analog phone. The ATA acts as the middleman to connect your phone to the ITSP through your broadband connection. You can be assigned a number, keep your old number, or even a new one with a different area code.

The beauty of VoIP telephony is that you can, for instance, have a number local to New York while living in LA. This allows people you know in New York to make a “local call” to you, and vice versa. If you have an IP Telephone, pretty much like a cell phone, you can walk around with that phone number. The phone is connected to an assigned IP address, so it’s the same as using the phone at home. Hence, that local New York number you had is with you everywhere you go, as long as you have your IP telephone. For example, if you travel to Europe, you can be reached through your IP Telephone and the person calling you from New York will connect to you as if you were in New York.

There are companies, like ViaTalk, that offer traditional telephone features in their service, which include e911 caller ID, voicemail, and fax service. The possibilities are endless for features. Call forwarding from a VoIP line to your standard cell phone is an option that’s coming into its own, thanks to FirstHandTech. This can come in handy for business execs, or sales staff, that are out of their offices on a regular basis. Whoever’s answering the phone for them back at the office can patch the call directly to their cell phone with FirstHand Technologies.

Can there be a possibility a corporate synergy between ITSP companies and phone companies in the future? The Internet and telephones merging together is a product of the Great Communication Age we currently live in. One can only wonder what else lies ahead in the future. Come back next week and I’ll fill you in on some pretty cool VoIP telephony ideas in the works.

Affordable Residential T1 Line?

If you’re addicted to the internet, like I am, and stayed in the dorms at a college that offered high-speed internet access, then I’m sure somewhere between moving out of the dorms and now, you wished you could have a fast T1 (Trunk level 1) or T3 (Trunk Level 3) line at home to log online. Since graduating, I’ve used cable and DSL for my high-speed internet needs, but lately I’ve wondered if there was a residential option for T1 service.

Those of you who never had the luxury of using a T1 line don’t know what you’re missing out on, and it’s probably best that way depending on how you look at it. It’s comparable to moving up to cable or DSL from a dial-up. To put things in perspective, a download of an average mp3 file (please download legally) may take a half hour to an hour on dial-up connection, a few minutes for DSL connection, and only a few seconds for T1 connection. Yes, a few seconds. You can see how someone would be spoiled when using it for a couple years. Imagine watching videos on YouTube, movie trailers online instantly. I used to love playing online computer games and talking over VoIP, all while downloading files without any spikes or chokes to my ping and connection. You can check out how different connections are ranked with this chart.

A T1 line uses a fiber optic, or sometimes copper, line to your location. Originally, T1 lines were used internally by phone companies to inter-connect Central Offices (CO’s), but were made available to the public in 1983. The T1 line can carry 24 digitalized voice channels and carry data at a rate of about 1.5 megabits per second. This is ideal for web servers, multi-user VPN, VoIP, networking VoIP telephone, etc. For it to be affordable, though, the home-use consumer would have to opt for a fractional T1 line, pretty much means you would be sharing a T1 line with another subscriber, or more. The fractional T1 still maintain their speeds, so for the average user, it’s still more than enough. Just like cable and DSL, there are different plans you can choose from, such as speeds of 386kbps, 512kbps or 768kbps. Just like with cable and DSL, you’ll have to choose the service package right for you.

After looking through many websites with real time price quotes, I discovered that T1 prices are very affordable… relatively speaking. A T1 line when I was in college a few years ago could have easily cost over a thousand or two thousand dollars, if not more. After snooping around, I’ve found an offer for a T1 line going at around $250 a month! Ok, so a $250 T1 line is like the $20 ADSL offered by some companies, but the upside to a T1 line is that it’s guaranteed to be running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with the same upload and download speed. Cable and DSL disconnections have happened to me on several occasions leaving me cut off from work, a bulk of which I handle through the Internet, nowadays. For a small company, disconnection from their cable or DSL service could mean thousands if not hundreds of thousands of dollars in business losses.

Expect to pay at least $390 for a decent residential T1 line, but you’re going to have to shop around yourself and see what service is available in your area. The more you pay the better. As the old saying goes, you get what you pay for.

In all practicality, though, a T1 line isn’t going to be affordable to the average household. Unless you’ve got money to spare, cable and DSL should be enough for home use, unless there are more T1 price drops. T3 lines are out of the question for home use because it’s even more expensive. T1 is within reach, but it will still cost a chunk of change overall. I do suggest every small business owners, or even owners of apartment complexes and condos to implement T1 lines into their buildings. As for me, the dream of having an affordable T1 connection with speeds I had in college is out the question.

At least for now.