| There was a time when shopping for a T3 line | | | | other bandwidth leases including T1, OC1, OC3, OC12, |
| involved picking up a phone book and searching the | | | | OC48, OC96, OC192, and up. On a larger bandwidth |
| local pages for a provider in your area. Yes, you would | | | | scale, obviously, the repercussions are more severe. |
| find a provider for your bandwidth connection, but | | | | Make sure when observing the best prices on T3, that |
| another issue at hand would be price. Providers were | | | | you discuss in depth the reality of the provider's track |
| slimmer in numbers, and you more than likely had to | | | | record for performance with the broker providing the |
| pay premium dollar for your Internet and voice | | | | quote. If your broker tries to sell you entirely only on |
| communications. While it was a necessity, it was | | | | one provider, be aware that they may be in amidst a |
| expensive. | | | | spiff period where they are compensated more than |
| Internet technology eventually caught up with the | | | | usual for offering one provider over the others. When |
| industry some years ago and not only did more | | | | this happens, you may not be getting the best advice, |
| providers than you could count on your fingers and | | | | however, this is not to say that a bandwidth provider |
| toes pop out of the wood work, but so did the | | | | offering a spiff isn't a high value provider, but all the |
| brokers. Naturally the brokerages started to pop up | | | | same, you may end up paying more for a T3 |
| too to save shoppers the hassle of consulting with | | | | connection during a spiff if the wrong provider is |
| each T3 provider one by one,and of course, to cash in | | | | providing a spiff to agents. |
| on some commissions. | | | | So how do you find the right provider and the right |
| It was in this time of need that real-time quotes | | | | price for your communications budget? Well right off |
| became a new industry standard. Everywhere you | | | | the bat, you need to find a good broker first. No need |
| look online now, there are offers for instant quotes | | | | to revert to the old days, brokers get you lower rates, |
| from tons of providers and brokers, made to save you | | | | more so than if you went directly to the provider and a |
| time, but are they good for saving money? | | | | good broker is knowledgeable of the industry |
| The answer is both yes and no. Yes, you can save | | | | standards as well as the high performers. |
| time by scanning providers available in your area | | | | You need a broker that can consult you through your |
| instantly, and yes, you can scan the best T3 rates | | | | technical needs just as much as your financial needs. |
| from the providers listed in the quote. The rates are | | | | There are a lot of brokers to choose from, so be |
| usually right on target with your region, rarely off, and | | | | vigilant and wise when picking a broker you want to |
| you may find a good enough price that fits your | | | | do business with. |
| budget, but will you find the most reliable provider? | | | | Another thing, because you consulted with a broker |
| You may, but you are risking more money than you | | | | doesn't mean you are obligated to purchase services |
| bargained for if you choose an unreliable provider from | | | | through them. Unless you have signed some binding |
| which to lease your bandwidth from. Countless hours | | | | contract (unheard of) you are free to make your own |
| of wasted man hours and business productivity due to | | | | decisions, including consulting with other brokerage |
| downtime can easily outweigh a low monthly rate on a | | | | firms. Actually, it's highly advisable you do just that. By |
| T3 connection. This decision to go with a lesser quality | | | | having more than one broker consult with you, you are |
| provider is usually done hastily when confronted with a | | | | able to gather information from other parties to better |
| good price. The same as in a shopping market with | | | | help you see which provider is probably the best for |
| last minute deals, businesses can fall victim to bad | | | | reliability and service. |
| purchase decisions. | | | | There is one kind of bandwidth broker that has the |
| Ask yourself, what would downtime do to your | | | | best pricing advantage for any company seeking |
| business? Would you loose sales? Would an entire | | | | bandwidth at a more reasonable rate. This kind of |
| customer service call center be shut down? Would a | | | | broker acts as both wholesaler and broker. This T3 |
| major potential partner revert from their decision? | | | | broker has already purchased the bandwidth that they |
| Would you be paying employees for services not | | | | are selling and this means they are able to negotiate |
| rendered? Your up-time can very well be your | | | | in-house lower rates for you without having to bargain |
| reputation just as much as your productivity, don't be | | | | with the actual provider, giving you bigger savings. You |
| quick to forget that. | | | | are able to still get a choice of which bandwidth |
| The same problems that could plague you with a bad | | | | provider network you work with so you aren't as |
| T3 purchase can affect you all the same with any | | | | much at risk going with an unreliable provider. |