| PRI telephone line services offer substantial savings | | | | and Internet |
| for business phone systems, PBX and VoIP phone | | | | Another variation is called T-1 Integrated service. |
| systems. | | | | Integrated means that the line carries both telephone |
| Businesses that have more than a few outside lines | | | | calls and Internet data. That's right, you can split a T-1 |
| should consider PRI trunk lines to connect from your | | | | line so that you can have a dozen outside phone lines |
| building to the local telephone office. Why? With each | | | | plus broadband Internet service coming in on the same |
| individual POTS or (Plain OLD Telephone Service) | | | | line. This is quite a cost saver for most small |
| there are termination and surcharges and taxes. After | | | | businesses that need both phone and reliable Internet |
| a few line charges there is a savings to be realized in | | | | service. Some of these Integrated services are called |
| consolidating individual phone lines into a single T1 line | | | | dynamic T-1 lines because they automatically assign all |
| that makes digital lines more cost effective than a | | | | the bandwidth not needed for active phone calls to the |
| collection of analog phone lines. | | | | Internet service. Integrated voice and data circuits |
| When should a company consider PRI Service | | | | represent one of the best values for phone service |
| Any company that has over 4 lines and requires high | | | | delivering voice, data and features including Direct In |
| speed internet access is a very good candidate for an | | | | Ward Dial, Caller ID, Dynamic Port Allocation, Fail Safe |
| integrated PRI. With only 4 lines there may not be a | | | | Routing and many other features on a single |
| real cost savings but there are other advantages | | | | inexpensive 4 wire circuit. |
| including highly reliable high speed internet access, | | | | What about VoIP phones? |
| Caller ID, time of day routing of 800# and failsafe | | | | VoIP phones use IP telephony within the company so |
| routing of calls in case of emergency service loss. | | | | that the phones can connect to the IP PBX system |
| There are several flavors of T-1 line services to be | | | | using standard Ethernet cabling. Many use the same |
| aware of. A standard T-1 telephone trunk offers up to | | | | LAN as the company's computers to save on wiring |
| 24 individual phone lines all digitized and multiplexed into | | | | costs. All the in-house calls go from phone to phone |
| two pair of copper wires that connect back to the | | | | over the network. But outside calls still have to connect |
| telephone company’s central office. Your business | | | | or terminate to the PSTN or Public Switched |
| phone systems can connect to a T1 through an | | | | Telephone Network. Most often that interface is within |
| integrated T1 circuit card they maybe available through | | | | the IP PBX system or voice gateway. The most |
| your phone system or through a router that brings the | | | | common phone line interface is the T-1 or T-1 PRI |
| T1 channels in to your phone system as if they were | | | | digital phone line, just like conventional PBX systems. |
| POTS lines. T1 and PRI integration cards are pretty | | | | Another option that's not quite as widely deployed is to |
| much a standard option for any new PBX phones | | | | connect your phones to a VoIP service provider in IP |
| such as Avaya phone systems or Nortel and you can | | | | format directly from your network. The service |
| likely order a plug-in T-1 card for older systems. | | | | provider takes care of terminating calls to the PSTN. |
| What is PRI? | | | | The network connection from your company to the |
| PRI or Primary Rate Interface is an ISDN equivalent of | | | | service provider is called a SIP Trunk and is most |
| a T1 circuit and it's part of the ISDN or Integrated | | | | often a type of T-1 line set up to be unchannelized to |
| Services Digital Network specifications. A regular | | | | transport voice packets. |
| channelized T-1 line and a T-1 PRI line are pretty much | | | | The New Price Advantage of Digital PRI Lines |
| the same animal, with one important difference. PRI | | | | You should know that Digital PRI prices are lower now |
| lines offer 23 rather than 24 phone lines and use the | | | | than they've ever been. If you're still using analog |
| remaining channel to provide signaling and data. You | | | | phone lines connected to your PBX telephone system, |
| need a PRI line if you want Caller ID for your phones. | | | | it may well be worth your while to convert to one or |
| For Pri service a PRI module is needed for your PBX | | | | more T-1 or T-1 PRI lines. If you already have T-1 |
| or phone system. | | | | service, then you should get a competitive quote to |
| Integrated Voice and Data Circuits Provide Both Phone | | | | see how much you might save on your next contract. |