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.
Is Skype Taking Over VoIP In North America??
If the news from broadband management company Sandvine is any indication...the answer is yes. At least for residential anyway. Calls using Skype account for nearly half of the VOIP minutes used (46.2%) and about 40% of the VOIP bandwidth used in North America, according to an analysis done by Sandvine. That puts Skype usage ahead of Vonage, Cablevision, and other popular branded residential VOIP offerings. In fact, Sandvine says Skype users account for 35.8% of individual VOIP callers on North American networks.
VoIP Training Center
There's a nice little VoIP training center courtesy of VoIP News anyone interested in VoIP should visit. Actually it's a comprehensive listing and review of training and certification programs offered around the world, online, and in CDs, videos and books. Perfect resource for every business considering deploying VoIP technology is some form or other.
MLM Company Directory....Use It!
If I've said it once I've said it a million times....when looking for a business for God's sake PLEASE do your homework. Part of that due diligence means you must learn as much as possible about the company (or companies) you're looking at. One very nice resource to help you do this is the MLM Company Directory at MLM.com. You'll find information on commission plan, sales method, product, their stock symbol and market reports if they are a public company, an expanded company description, any press releases from the company, and more. As most of this info is supplied by the company itself....be aware that it may sound a bit biased. But it is an excellent place to start and is reviewed for facts before publishing by InfoTrax Systems (owner of MLM.com).
