Where to Get a Phone
Learn Where to Get a Phone and What Type
The question of “where to get a phone” is commonly asked to me personally by friends and family. I of course naturally always tell them to go to www.topsavings.net, but seriously, there is a lot more to the answer than just pointing to a general direction where phones may be present. First off, the type of phone you are looking for is going to be an obvious first clue as to how you want to go about finding and purchasing your telephone.
Types of Phones
There are many different kinds of phones available for purchase for many different purposes when deciding where to get a phone. Finding the right phone means starting with understanding what your purpose will be. These phones should speak for themselves below.
1. Analog/Digital Telephone - This is your basic phone that we all are most accustomed to in the home. It uses a basic telephone line to plug into your phone wall jack or VoIP router. These phones can either be corded (wired from the phone base to the receiver) or be cordless (not attached to phone base).
2. Multi-line Phone - The multi-line phone is commonly used in business and is connected much like the household telephone, but has the ability to switch lines with the buttons on the keypad. Some are private connections internally within an office or assigned various phone numbers through different lines for different department call types (sales, front desk, customer service, etc.).
4. Cell Phone/Smartphone - This type of phone is no mystery to us now is it? A mobile wirelessly connected phone that comes in a variety of styles including flip, slide, and screen. This phone is never plugged into anything other than it’s power cord to charge it’s battery. Not sure if I even had to explain this one really, but can never be too safe.
5. USB Phone – This type of phone is for VoIP exclusively. Some VoIP providers offer their services not through a router but rather software utilizing your Internet connection and computer. One popular service that is used for this phone type is Skype, but there are other providers as well.
So Now Where to Get a Phone?
You have some options available to you when deciding where to get a phone. Within those options are additional ways and sources as well. Let’s dig into some of these ways to get you a phone.
1. Online - It’s an obvious step, but not an entire step altogether. For different types of phones, I suggest these different ways to go about it. Read below to understand why.
If you are shopping for a cell phone you do not want to just search online and grab the first phone that grabs your fancy or that you saw on a commercial. You will want to shop cellular carriers more so first. These days a cell phone isn’t as simple as dialing some numbers from a keypad and making a call. Many use it for much more than phone calls including going online to visit their web pages and so forth. Your carrier is the connection to your calling and web surfing activity, so you will want to make sure you know which provider can actually offer the best service first.
When shopping online, be sure to comparison shop not only the price of the phone or free phones. Most cell phones and smartphones (prepaid not included) come with a monthly billing plan that comes in the form of an annual contract. In many cases you will find yourself not only shopping for the phone itself, but the calling plan as well.
All other phones can be found online at popular retailers or even used on Craigslist or eBay for very little if you are wanting to save money. Knowing what type of phone or model can help make your search easier. Just Google it and you will be surprised to find your phone being offered from different e-commerce sites with pictures and compared prices in the search results as well as other online retailer sites in general.
Let’sTalk Cell Phones
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WireFly Cell Phones
2. In-Store - This is my favorite way to shop for phones. I usually do a little of both actually. I’ll do some searching online then walk right into retail locations to handle the devices myself to get a feel for them. It is a controversial method as well to walk into a store then use your smartphone to search prices for the exact model online and order them. The two birds one stone thing.
I am guilty of walking into stores then actually buying online, but nothing still beats that impulse buy and the rush of having what you want when you want it. In these tough economic times however, you may find yourself using this method, although it does hurt the local economy. It is entirely up to you and how much guilt you are willing to go through when deciding where to get a phone.
1 CommentT1 Line – Complete Guide to Shopping for T1
Everything You Want to Know About T1 Lines and How to Buy
A Little Bit of the History
While for some the term T1 may seem new, this technology is well over 50 years old! Before the roll out of the World Wide Web, this technology was brought into place to improve current telephone system signaling for carriers in an age where phone technology was still developing.
Previously, each voice line had to individually be ran from one phone company switch to the other. With the new T-1 technology, 24 voice channels could be run through one circuit creating a super efficient and more easily organized way of managing these voice channels. The AT&T (American Telegraph and Telephone) company introduced the technology in the 60′s, but was never made available for business end users until 1983.
While the year of ’83 finally made T1 technology available to businesses Nationwide, the costs were very prohibitive. Only the largest companies or government organizations could afford a T-1 line for their establishment. These companies and institutions were given the luxury of being able to transfer data from one location to another (point-to-point not Internet) without lugging around and transporting large computer tapes and reels to the locations physically.
While the technology was available, even the most important customer could expect an installation time frame of 6 months to a year. None the less, the data technology was highly sought after and envied among the telecommunications community. Other hurdles included applying the digital technology over old analog telephone lines which was remedied through the use of channel banks between the lines and the central office switch from which the services were deployed from.
With the help of the IEXs (interexchange carriers) such as MCI and Sprint, T1 installations started taking less time allowing for more deployments to more businesses. This ultimately helped feed the demand for the technology as well as supply it. Over time the combination of supply and demand would allow for less costly leasing options finally giving smaller businesses the ability to affordably benefit from T-1 lines.
T1 Line Types
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What is a T1 Internet Line?
A T1 line is a high speed Internet connection capable of transmitting data at 1.544 Mbps (Megabits per second) over fiber optic lines. At one time this may have transmitted at the last mile over twisted pair copper wiring, however fiber optic is quickly becoming the standard to which the telecommunications industry is now adhering to.
What is a T1 Voice Line?
While Internet often is used, just as often voice is transmitted over these lines for business phone service. A T1 voice line is capable of 24 digital voice channels. These voice channels allow for businesses with more than 10 landlines to save money on the cost per local line (local loop). These local landlines can also provide long distance for the company deploying a T-1.
What is an Integrated T1?
An integrated T1 line is where both data and voice run over the circuit. This can be allocated into different increments per function.
What is a Fractional T1 Line?
A fractional line is a product offered to businesses who may have 10 or less phone/Internet lines needed. This line is leased out in smaller fractions and can be split into a half, a quarter, and sometimes less of a full T-1 depending on the needs of that particular business.
What is a Dedicated T1 Line?
This type of circuit offers privacy of a physical nature. The lines are run from one location to another creating secure communications for voice and and Intranet between two or more locations. Other terms include P2P, point-to-point, or private line. There are many configurations including mesh that can be made to accommodate multiple location point-to-point communications.
What is a Bonded T1 Line?
A bonded T-1 is two T1 lines bonded together to create a connection that transmits data at 3.0 Mbps or offers 46 voice channels. This is not the same as having two lines as these lines cannot combine to create the maximum transfer speed without first being bonded. Without the bonding process, two lines will each only transfer at 1.544 Mbps apiece.
What is a Burstable T1 Line?
A bandwidth line labeled as a burstable is a line that offers the full capacity of a T1 with some differences. A burstable T-1 is offered at a lower cost due to the fact you are given a smaller allocation of the full T-1 on a regular day to day basis, but on the occasion congestion increases, you are bumped up to the bandwidth necessary to handle data traffic. You pay an additional fee for every “burst” and the length of it as agreed by the provider.
Additional Information
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Common Worldwide References
There are more than way to express in text a T1. Terms include T-1, DS1, DS-1 within the United States of America and Canada. In Europe the use of the letter T is replaced with an E giving the terms E1 and E-1. In Europe however the total transmission capacity is 2.048 Mbps or 30 voice channel capacity. In Japan, J-1 or J1 is the term used and runs at the same rate as the USA and Canadian version.
The Meaning Behind the Term T1
The term T1 comes from the abbreviation Trunk level 1. A trunk is basically the communication line between two locations where switching systems are put into place. These systems are comprised of equipment housed at the location of the telecommunications carrier and end user leasing the line(s).
What Makes T1 Better Than DSL?
As far as speed goes, many might consider DSL speeds and capacity a far greater asset in terms of file sharing and uploading to servers, etc. The real dilemma isn’t really speed as much as it is the reliability of the connections. A T1 circuit is a commercial grade service, therefore uptime is a QoS issue addressed in a far more aggressive manner. Most carriers guarantee 99.99 % uptime. This equates to mere seconds of downtime if any for a T-1. When DSL goes down it can be hours or days which can lose a business a significant amount of revenue during peak business hours.
What if I need More More Bandwidth or Voice Capacity?
T-1 is merely the beginning of available bandwidths. There are other options that are growing in popularity and are in high use already. The most popular is a T3 which has a capacity of 44.736 Mbps for data or 672 voice channels. Additional bandwidths include Gigabit Ethernet options or SONET which comes in many flavors including OC-3 (155.52 Mbps), OC-12 (622.08 Mbps), OC-24 (1.244 Gbps), OC-48 (2.488 Gbps), OC-192 9.953 (Gbps), and more that can include voice channels as well.
What Type of Businesses Use T1?
Businesses, enterprises, and government agencies Nationwide use this bandwidth circuit for voice and data everyday. This includes grocery stores, retail outlets, real estate agencies, airports, call centers, server centers, coffee shops, insurance agencies, DMV, court houses, lawyer offices, e-commerce sites, welfare buildings, car dealerships, military bases, embassies, schools, universities, hospitals, police stations, and many more types of establishments.
Shopping for T1 Lines
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What is Behind the Price of a T1?
There are a few factors involved in the pricing of a T1 line. Here we will try to notch down some of these factors for you. This will better give you an idea of why you may expect to pay more or less for you business line.
1. Location also known as POP (Point of Placement) is a primary cost decider on what you will be paying for a T-1 or higher bandwidth line. The further you are from the carrier, the more you will pay. This is due to the physical line being provided to your establishment. These fiber optic lines can become costly to set up depending on your location. Places further away from major metropolitan areas tend to pay more.
2. One factor to not be overlooked will be the cost of hardware including routers, PBX boxes, switches, and possibly more depending on your goals. This cost can go into paying for networking this hardware too which may require a professional if you do not have one in-house.
3. An other obvious factor is the type of T1 connection you choose. A burstable or fractional will cost you significantly less than a dedicated P2P line. Of course you will need to be sure of what T-1 type you need before factoring in costs.
4. Length of contracts can be a big deciding factor on what you will pay. You are more likely to pay more on a per month basis for a one year contract than you would on a 3 year. The longer term contract not only can cost less per month, but can help protect against any rate inflation during those service years.
5. Installation fees are something you will have to pay when the carrier connects you to your service. These will vary, and depending on the carrier, can be free on a special promotion.
6. Taxes and fees are added to your leasing price after a carrier has stated pricing usually. This can include federal, state, and FCC fees.
7. How many phone lines and minutes will you be using? This will be added into your price by the minute for long distance and local.
WARNING: What to Watch Out For Before Signing a Contract
1. Watch out for this first and foremost. Low pricing. In today’s age of tight budgets, many will shop for a lease option solely on price. In many cases, a low price can mean you are buying a burstable T-1 over an already heavily trafficked line. Make sure you know where your line is coming from and what you’re really paying for.
2. Be wary of the term “T1 Speed” as a selling point. This can easily be another way of tricking you into paying for a T1 that is not truly a genuine line. Sometimes these fake T-1 solutions can cost just as much as the real one.
3. Always check for uptime guarantees in the contract before signing. If the carrier cannot guarantee the uptime, it probably isn’t a real T-1. Move on and find a real carrier.
4. Always check the contract and find out what cancellation fees may be associated with bailing out of a contract prematurely. This can happen due to their own QoS (Quality of Service), but you can still end up paying on your part anyhow. Look closely into terms and conditions.
5. Make sure you get a line that is fiber optic the last mile. If a carrier cannot guarantee you a fiber optic line for the last mile then you will want to go with another carrier. These days a twisted copper at the last mile is not sufficient for the needs of today’s demanding businesses.
The Safest Way to Shop and Save on a T1
Many might be swayed into believing that shopping from carrier themselves would be the best way to save on the price of a T-1 circuit. There actually is an easier yet cost free way, and that is through a qualified business telecommunications consultant or broker.
A telecom consultant has the ability to save you more on carrier T1 prices than if you went through a carrier yourself. Their ability relies on what is called “purchase power” which enable lower negotiated lease rates and installation costs.
Not only can they save you on overall costs, they can consult you on the best suited options for your business needs, go over contracts with you, advocate on your behalf after contract, as well give you a list of pricing options based on your choice of T-1.
A telecommunications consultant should never charge a fee. Most consultants have years of expertise in the industry and have vast knowledge of carriers and their overall performance to help you make the best decision for your needs. They know how to shop business telecom solutions and are able to analyze every pitfall described above.
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SIP – Business Uses for SIP Trunking
SIP, otherwise known as Session Initiated Protocol has widely been used in verbal and written context with business telecommunications lingo. While this technology has been raved about and highly documented throughout the past recent years in tech blogs and websites, it can be somewhat difficult to understand exactly what SIP is and how it is used if you are somewhat new to telecommunication terminology. If you aren’t a CTO or CIO but run a business with high levels of voice and data traffic, this should help better explain the technology for you.
SIP runs over an IP (Internet Protocol) network. A network running the Internet Protocol previously allowed for data transfer between satellite office locations via private lines, for hosting websites, or hosting other data servers. Over the past decade however, new technologies and the explosion of VoIP (just think Vonage and Comcast phone) have given an IP network far greater importance and precedence over business communications.
SIP allows for simple daily business functions as simple as phone calls (inbound/outbound) utilizing VoIP technology but can be more diverse in the business environment as it allows for Internet access as well becoming a robust integrated solution. A daily function in the enterprise or business may be more complex functions such as conference calls that additionally may require multimedia (live stream video, live document presentations, etc.) as well.
SIP Trunking Video
Learn More About SIP in this SIP Trunking Video - Learn why SIP trunking is so beneficial for commercial and government agencies. It’s use is growing everyday Nationwide. Don’t be left out! Watch this new video from AllStream and get more information.
Other functions and features made available through SIP can include push to talk or chat which has gained much momentum on the web in the e-commerce world. In today’s economic environment, this can easily equate into an ROI scenario due to the need to more quickly and easily allow the customer to make purchase decisions online, many times from mobile devices. The same ROI scenario can go with the web conferencing abilities made available through this technology.
As consumers and B2B clients become more tech savvy, businesses hungry for revenues are turning to SIP to help bridge gaps between marketing mediums and the closing sales process. It is through the convergence of multiple communications that this process can be streamlined and collaborated on.
While the above examples can be shown as uses for this technology there are many more applications that can and are being implemented in converged business telecommunications. Some of these include caller ID, IM (Instant Messaging), e-mail, and other web and voice based communications.
It is important to know that the QoS is not controlled by SIP in any way. The bandwidth and network configurations over that bandwidth as well as the carriers providing the bandwidths are just as important to the successful implementation of SIP in business communications. Other important aspects can be local hardware configurations and current in-use phone systems.
It is because of the many possibilities associated with a business embarking on purchasing an SIP solution that the use of a telecommunications broker or consultant is vital for successful deployment. Additionally, a broker or consultant can better suit your business with the proper solution or technology within your telecom budget.
This can be extremely important as some businesses are better suited for a smaller business VoIP or T-1 voice solution. A good broker will not oversell you and make sure one of the other solutions wouldn’t better suit you first.
Choosing a Broadband Service Provider
The Right Broadband Service
Defining Good Broadband Service
When searching for broadband service, there are a few shopping tips you should follow closely before committing to a contract. Whether it’s for business or personal use, there are some factors that can make the decision of leasing your Internet access a disaster.
Some things that could go wrong include failed unified technology deployment in the workplace and/or home as well as committed contracts and lousy Internet service. Hopefully this article will help you in selecting the services necessary to make your lease process more informed and satisfactory.
Evaluate Your Broadband Service Needs
Before shopping for broadband service you need to ask yourself exactly what you will be needing your service for. In knowing what you plan to use your Internet bandwidth for, you will better determine the bandwidth and service type needed for satisfactory services.
Some questions to ask yourself should include the following:
1. Will I be using VoIP? Many providers now offer optional phone service with their plans. If you plan to save more on your calling expenses though you can go through a separate VoIP provider instead, but you will need to plan for the bandwidth the VoIP will be using up on your Internet line. If you are a business planning on deploying Voice over Internet Protocol with multiple lines, a T1 line or T3 line may be a better choice over typical cable and DSL bandwidths.
2. Will I be online gaming? If you do a lot of real-time multiuser gaming online, you will want to make sure you have enough bandwidth to enjoy your games with fellow users. You may find you will want to buy an expanded broadband service that allows for online gaming. As a matter of fact, many providers offer gaming packages specifically for this purpose.
3. Will I be hosting a server? If you are going to be hosting a server then you will more than likely not want to be using DSL or cable Internet services especially if you are a business. You will want to deploy your servers over more reliable bandwidth options such as T1, T3, OC3, etc.
4. Do I want television services with that? Many Internet service providers (mainly cable Internet) now offer bundled services that include cable television packages. In many cases this option saves you on your entertainment expenses as well as bandwidth expenses. Even businesses are now using this option to keep up to date on news at the workplace.
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What to Look for In a Broadband Provider
1. Contract Term - Closely evaluate your contract with the broadband service provider before committing. While you usually get the best deals with lengthier contracts, you do not want to be stuck with a substandard bandwidth provider for the long run. 6-12 months is the average for residential packages while business packages typically can be anywhere from 1-3 years. More commonly residential services are month to month these days.
2. Evaluate QoS Terms - In your contract make sure there is a quality of service guarantee. This is most important for business broadband, which can help you leave a contract if services are not as promised.
3. Trial Offers - A trial offer is an excellent way to try services first before being committed to a service. While not very common, this is a great option for those unsure of a provider.
4. Look at the Little Guys Too - While you can search online for Internet providers, you will more than likely only find the bigger providers such as AT&T and Verizon. Look in your yellow pages and you may find other ISP services available locally that aren’t as big, but can be just as good.
5. Shopping by Price - It is not advised that you shop by price alone, especially if you have special needs or plan on using excessive bandwidth. Make sure you are getting the right amount of bandwidth first before getting fixated on special pricing.
6. Install Fees - When putting together the budget for your Internet bill, remember that the installation fees will be added to your first bill. Make sure to include this into your budget for your broadband service expenses.
