Finding the Right DS3 Bandwidth 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 DS3
Bandwidth provider for reasonable amount of bandwidth or voice
service you will have to enter into a long term contract.
Telecommunications contracts for T1's and DS'3s/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.
We suggest using a broker to walk you through your options and
show you the providers and services available. A broker or
independent agent can help reduce the time it takes you to shop
around for a DS3 provider 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. As the agent doesn't work
with a specific provider like AT&T or Sprint, he or she will not
push you in that direction if they are not right for you.
Remember that the DS3 Bandwidth provider you select will be your
partner for quite some time so take caution in your decision.
The worst part of being with a bad provider is the fact that it
will affect your business. Dropped calls or an internet
connection that goes down can be disastrous to a business. We
found that the larger companies like AT&T and Sprint will
release companies from long term contracts it if is shown that
the voice or data DS3 service was faulty on a regular basis,
however the release from such a contract will not help recoup
the damages of the lost calls and e-mails from the poor service.
When shopping for a DS3 provider we suggest using a broker and
asking for referals from current customers to give you an
indication of what you can expect.