There is a lot of false information around regarding what Ethernet is, and considering that the word has become well-known, even a lot of the cable providers say they now provide “Ethernet”. Even though that can be true theoretically speaking, Ethernet from a cable provider remains to be the over-subscribed and over-saturated network that you obtain with normal cable service. As the term goes, you can put lipstick on a pig but….

Ethernet solutions from genuine carriers who provide dedicated internet connections aren't for personal use or home based businesses, mainly because the price for 3-4 users can rarely be justified. But if your business is at a point where you are looking at utilizing, or perhaps already are employing a T1 circuit or maybe even a bonded T1 circuit, and virtually without a doubt if you use a DS3 or OC-x circuit, Ethernet is undoubtedly a far more cost effective online connectivity choice.

The bad news is that Ethernet is not really available everywhere. Despite the fact that a T1 circuit, bonded T1 circuit, including generally speaking, a DS3 line could be installed almost anyplace you can get a telephone line installed through your local phone company, Ethernet is not as widely available. But having said that, it's becoming increasingly obtainable each day throughout the country, and even all over the world. Ethernet options can be found in almost every major city nowadays, and in case your company is based in or near a city which has a population of 100k or higher, likelihood is quite great that Ethernet options are open to you right now.

Really, how much more cost effective is it? Much of that depends on which kind of Ethernet you would like to secure. In the entry level, there may be EOC or Ethernet Over Copper, oftentimes also referred to as EODS1 or Ethernet Over DS1. Those sorts of circuits, as the name indicates, are supplied over copper lines and will start as low as 3 MB. But that 3 MB Ethernet line is probably going to cost around HALF as much as the identical bandwidth of a two bonded T1 circuit. If you really want a fiber connection, your smallest choice is going to start at 10 MB Ethernet, but again, that 10 MB Ethernet line will most likely cost about half as much (or even less) as the same bandwidth on a bonded T1 or fractional DS3.

Let's talk for just a moment concerning copper versus fiber, simply because this seems to be an area of misunderstandings and a lot more all round misinformation. For a specific degree of bandwidth, for example 10 MB, two circuits both offering 10 MB of bandwidth, one on copper and the other on fiber, will conclude in a dead heat. Fiber just isn't faster, as opposed to what many imagine. But fiber has the capacity to be upgraded to higher amounts of bandwidth, while copper begins to degrade at higher quantities of bandwidth. But at around the 10-15 MB levels, even as much as 20 MB in certain major cities, there is NO speed difference between copper and fiber.

If you are searching for your best value for Business Ethernet solutions from responsible and rock-solid companies that will provide dedicated Internet services to your business with prime Service Level Agreements, take a look at what may very well be available in your location from amongst the 35+ service providers we represent, where we guarantee that the price we provide from those carriers is the lowest that they're going to offer, even when you contact the provider directly.