T1 Circuit

This is the workhorse of the industry and the most common connection for Avid's clients. It is reliable. Repair intervals are quick. The capacity is 1.5 Mbps in both the upstream and downstream directions. It is not a shared connection in any way, meaning that the capacity is guaranteed for the client at all times.

Avid's T1s can be dedicated for either voice or data, but in most cases will carry both. The capacity is dynamically allocated, meaning that capacity is used for voice calls only when necessary. This is important because connections are generally engineered to support peak voice loads, which occur briefly and usually twice during the business day. With dynamic allocation, this capacity is freed up the rest of the time for higher Internet speeds.

T1 circuits will generally support offices with up to 25 people, unless the calling load is unusually heavy or there are requirements for large data transfer.

The pricing history of T1s is interesting. The Bell System used to charge thousands of dollars per month for a T1, and only very large businesses could afford one. Not that long ago, T1s were priced at nearly $1,000 per month. In 2002, while at Birch Telecom, Avid's management slashed T1 prices to less than $500, the first time this had been done anywhere. For the first time, the typical business could afford one. But even then, it was a data-only service.

Now at Avid, the T1 is available to a whole new group of businesses, and is changing the competitive equation for businesses of all sizes. And if you need more than a single T1, Avid offers an array of chocies>>