The world of corporate internet technology is completely different from any connectivity package the regular consumer could even dream up. Have you ever been on your computer at work really early in the morning before anybody else gets there? Did you notice how fast you could download a document or surf the internet? This is because corporate internet connections are another realm from what we're used to. If you're starting a business or just looking to up your bandwidth, here are a couple of the common internet connections being used in the corporate arena.
So what are some of the basic technologies that they work with? One of them is called ISDN. ISDN stands for Integrated Services Digital Network. This is basically a telephone line made of copper wiring that provides extremely fast data transmissions. There are two types of ISDN. The first one is call the B-channel. This is used for the transfer of data, video, voice or any other multimedia. T The B-channel runs at 64 kbps (kilobytes per second). The other type is called the D-channel. The D-channel will either run at 16 kbps or at 64 kbps depending on how you set it up. The D-channel is primarily used to switch your equipment in the ISDN network and the equipment at your ISDN site. Depending on the size of the corporation, the ISDN network can slow down a bit when more people are on the network downloading video, music or applications. Corporations also use this kind of connection for their video conferencing and for remote access to their computer networks.
Another connection technology that is commonly found in corporations is the use of the T1 line. A T1 line has the power to carry twenty-four digitized voices channels and a date rate of 1.544 megabits per second. A T1 connection can carry about sixty times the amount of data per second than a regular residential modem. The usual cost of a T1 line is around one thousand to fifteen hundred dollars per month, depending on who the company gets their service from. That may sound like a lot, but it's really nothing in the eyes of a medium sized company. The truth is that even a medium sized company needs more speed than that. Up one from the T1 is the T3 connection. A T3 connection can transmit 43.23 megabits per second and is the equivalent to twenty-eight T1s.
The next up from the T3 connection is the OC1. The OC1 stands for optical carrier because this uses fiber optics instead of copper telephone wiring. The number describes how many multiples of 51.84 megabits per second it can carry. The OC1 is basically a small step up from a T3 connection. Next is the OC3 which can deliver 155.52 megabits per second. Most large companies will use and OC12 connection because it's so strong and reliable.
If you're looking to get your business a great internet connection, you need to ask yourself how much you are willing to spend. If you're a small business with less than ten employees, you could probably go with a T1 connection and be just fine. However, if you're a medium to large sized business who has the money and the resources for an OC3 connection, then you're looking at somewhere around five thousand or more for the speed you want.