sundance-communications.com Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information T1 vs PRI

i know you loose a channel wiht PRI, but other than that, what is the difference, from a customer stand point?

PRI allows you to use the span bi-directional. For example most T1's require to to dedicate some channels for incomming and others for outgoing unless usually it's a dedicated long distance T1. This allows all 23 channels to be both outgoing and incomming rather than splitting them which is a huge advantage. Another biggie is that you get caller ID on a PRI AND you can send caller ID from ea extension if you have the proper PBX which then sets you up to be E911 compliant. Other trivial things are that the circuit sets up and tears down much faster as a PRI...which CAN make a big difference on large traffic. I think thats it unless someone else can think of other things..

What is approximate cost difference?
Install costs and monthly? I would assume the PRI cost more per month or could that vary from carrier to carrier.

Rich

A regular T1 contains 24 DS0 channels each channel individualy carrying its own signalling. A PRI consists of 23 B channels for voice or data and 1 D channel for the signalling state of the other 23 channels. On a PRI if you lose the D channel none of the other 23 channels will be in service. PRI uses what is commonly known as common channel signalling. A PRI gives more features than a regular T1.

[This message has been edited by nectec (edited November 10, 2004).]

Some of the features that can be provided on a regular T-1 will vary from state to state depending on the LEC providing the T-1. This is due to tarrifs etc.

My 2 cents

Mike

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| Business Telephones | Telephone Systems

The cost difference will vary from one carrier to another and one state to another.
We find that T1-PRI is cheaper per month because that is what the carriers want to sell in our area. PRI also takes local calling including E-911 calls so you can eliminate all copper lines. T-1 does not take local traffic all the time and when it does you need to dial 10 digits or have your switch insert the NNX. If you have a large customer with more that one PRI you can use one D-channel for both getting 24 B-channels on the second PRI but I advise against that type of set up.



[This message has been edited by CMDL_GUY (edited November 11, 2004).]

The customer would certainly notice how much faster outbound calls set up. Caller ID/ANI and DNIS information are sent on the D channel of the PRI so it is also faster on the inbound side. The channels are set up as 64Kb vs T1 which may be 56Kb or 64Kb for what that's worth these days. PRI is much faster, so for instance in a call center it may actually add up to overall savings over a less expensive T1 line, and disconnect signalling is quicker so it releases the ports sooner equating to more port availability.

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Tim Payson
https://www.cobotyx.com

The biggest difference between a T-1 and Pri besides Caller ID is T-1 you need to dedicate the Channels to the different type of circuits so if you have let say DID and Tie lines comming through the same DID you would have to dedicate certain chennel to these circuits. With a Pri different type circuits can use any of the 23 channel, the D channels translate what tupe of circuit is being used by the b channels.