DS3 Price Trends
Like most telecommunications services DS3 prices (commonly known at T3) have been falling for the last few years. This is due to several factors. Competition has been heating up since deregulation in 1996. The number of companies offering service has exploded. With more competition in the marketplace service providers have to reduce their prices to attract customer and keep them from going to competitors. Service providers are desperate to keep margins but even more desperate to keep adding customers. This competetive arena has created a buyers market for DS3 lines and pricing is as favorable as it has ever been!

The Art of Pricing a OC3 Line
A step up from a call to the local phone company is the use of a broker or agent. An independent agent can help reduce the number of phone calls by asking you the questions once and searching through multiple providers to get the service that is right for you. The agent helps steer clear of the bias you will receive when speaking with one vendor as the agent will be paid no matter which service you choose. If you happen to be searching for a dedicated voice OC3, the agent will give you quotes for dedicated voice OC3's for multiple service providers. Still, the agent has a shortcoming in that there is typically a delay between the time you have your conversation and the time you get your information. This can take a day or two.

OC3 Internet Access for Dummies
Make sure your OC3 product is a "clearchannel" product and is not shared with other users. Also be sure you have an SLA or Service Level Agreement from your provider. A SLA will specify the access you will receive and the penaly the service provider will pay if they do not provide such service. If you need help establishing the proper SLA seek the help of a professional if you don't have one in house. It's much better to pay a small fee up front than to enter a long term contract with an inferior carrier. You can also get professional assistance free of charge by simply contacting one fo the many OC3 brokers on the internet.

OC3 Internet Connection Basics
At the most fundamental level, a OC3 internet connection is the link from your companies data infrastructure to the rest of the world. A OC3 connection is sometimes referred to as a "dedicated service" as the service is delivered to and from the customer premise from the CO (Central Office) without combining it with other traffic. A OC3 connections is established by providing a "loop" or wire from the users premesis to the CO where the service provider has equipment. Part of the cost of a OC3 is the "loop charge" or the monthly rental fee for the wire that is rented from the local phone company. Once the connection reaches the CO it can access the carriers network and reach any destination.

OC3 Service Experts
While you may be an expert when it comes to network connections and data applications you will still want to have an expert by your side when it comes to pricing and negotiating for a connections. The expert to whom we refer is a broker or independent agent. In addition to being knowledgable of the technology a brokers expertice lies in his or her knowledge of carriers, their networks, their strengths and weakenesses and also in their relationship with sales managers and VP's at the companies. This means a better deal for you!

Thank Goodness for GeoQuote!
"Many people have asked how exactly we figure out OC3 pricing, since it is so sensitive to the geographic location of each customer with relation to the carriers' physical equipment. Our OC3 Quote software is able to calculate the distance from any location in the continental United States to any of our providers' Points of Presence (POPs). From there, we use proprietary pricing algorithms to convert the distance into a price" commented Patrick Oborn, CTO of ShopForOC3.com.

Finding the Right OC3 Provider
Telecommunications contracts can be much like a marriage and as we all know there are good and bad marriages. The fact is, when you enter into a telecommunications contract with a OC3 provider for reasonalble amount of bandwidth or voice service you will have to enter into a long term contract. Telecommunications contracts for OC3's and T3's typically range from 1 years to 3 years. Anything longer than a 3 year contract is usually only seen in very large applicatons like OC3 and OC12 or complex frame relay connections with many nodes. While the term of the contract will not be a problem if you have the right provider, the contract could prove extrememly burdomsome with the wrong provider.

DS3 Service in the Los Angeles Market
In a buyers market remember that you can push and probably get concessions from the carrier but also remember that all carriers are not created equally. Many carriers may appear to offer a bargain price but you may be several hops from the internet and have a problem with latency. You may also be using a small carrier that hasn't actually checked the capacity of the CO before you sign your contract and can't even deliver the service they promised. The only way you'll discover this is when you start using your connection and find that at peak traffic times your connection is bogged down at a level below that which was guaranteed.

Don't Pay For Your OC3 Router!
If you're in the market for a new OC3 service be aware that you should be able to get a router with your service. If the provider does not offer this service don't be afraid to ask for it and if they do offer it make sure you get the best router possible. Remember, it's a buyers market and you will likely be able to add on a few "extra" when you get your new service. The best way to ensurethat you aren't leaving anything on the table is use a broker who knows the service providers and knows how to get you as much as possible. Consider using one of the brokers at ShopforOC3.com.

OC3 Internet Service Do's and Dont's
'T-1 is made up of 24 digital channels. This requires a digital connection device (CSU/DSU {customer switching unit/digital switching unit}) to connect to four wires to carry the information. All OC3 lines require that a Channel Service Unit (CSU) be connected between your Data Terminal Equipment (DTE), i.e., a personal computer, and the T-1 line. A CSU serves both as a surge protector (to protect your equipment from voltage anomalies such as lightning) and a monitor of the line itself.

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