| So you have heard of a DS3 or T3 and not sure | | | | ISP Service Level Agreement or SLA. |
| quite what they are, never fear, you have came | | | | Now for a little technical background, the North |
| to the right spot. Most people that I talk to think | | | | American standard for Digital Signal Level 3 or |
| that a T3 is 3 T1's and that is not the case. A | | | | DS-3 states that an Internet T3, or often written |
| DS3 Line or T3 Internet is a digital signal | | | | T-3, is equivalent to 28 T1 Lines and is referred |
| communication dedicated circuit that transmits | | | | to as having 45 Mbps per DS3 circuit. T3's run on |
| data at speeds of 44.736 Mbps (Mega Bits Per | | | | a fiber optic backbone or a wireless microwave |
| Second), rounded up to 45MB exclusively to an | | | | transmission over long distances and are delivered |
| Internet backbone via an ISP. Even though a T3 | | | | at the customer premise that terminates coaxial |
| DS3 (T-3/DS-3) may be divided into 672 separate | | | | cable and via RF (Radio Frequency) with a BNC |
| channels that are commonly referred to as DS0's | | | | (Bayonet Neill-Concelman) connector. |
| which each transmit data at a speed of 64 Kbps, | | | | DS3 Internet services are also sold by many |
| an Internet T3 is delivered in a consolidated | | | | carriers as a Fractional DS-3 that have speeds |
| system that includes all channels into a single | | | | that range from 10 Mbps to 45 Mbps. Ethernet |
| 44.736 high speed data pipe. | | | | Service is gradually taking over the T3 market |
| Unlike a Fair Access Policy that most ISP's are | | | | when 10 Mbps or more bandwidth is required if |
| enforcing now, Internet T3 service offers an | | | | fiber is available to the customer premise. 3MB |
| unlimited throughput of 45 Mbps for businesses | | | | Ethernet can be delivered over copper for lower |
| that require a demand for High-Speed Bandwidth | | | | bandwidth requirements. Be leery of low cost DS3 |
| connectivity. Dynamic DS3's or Burstable T3 | | | | circuits that are really oversubscribed connections, |
| Internet service provides a unique cost solution | | | | it is best to consult a professional before rushing |
| for businesses that have irregular Internet | | | | into a long term agreement with an ISP (internet |
| bandwidth utilization patterns but need to sustain a | | | | Service Provider) or WISP (Wireless Internet |
| certain level of bandwidth throughput under the | | | | Service Provider). |