DS3 vs Multiple T1 Lines
Bonding T1 lines for greater bandwidth is a good value up to about
8x or 9x bonding. Above that, it makes better economic sense to
order DS3 service over fiber or T3 copper line. In metropolitan
areas with high levels of buildout, the decision point may be
less than 8 T1 lines.
Medical Imaging Transmission
Bandwidth
Medical images, such as those generated by Teleradiology equipment,
have large file sizes due to high resolution. Rapid transmission
between hospitals and medical centers requires high availability,
high bandwidth telecommunication services. For smaller offices
or infrequent use, a T1 data line or bonded T1 lines might suffice.
For medium and larger facilities, DS3, Fast Ethernet and OCx fiber
optic services are recommended.
DS3 for Call Center Telephony
DS3 voice service can support up to 672 simultaneous telephone
conversations without blocking. If your call center or large corporate
PBX system requires this number of outside lines, DS3 is likely
far more cost effective than ordering the equivalent 28 T1 lines.
How Does DS3 differ from T3?
The terms DS3 and T3 are often used interchangeably. Both refer
to a TDM (Time Division Multiplexing) digital telecom service
operating at 45 Mbps. Strictly speaking, DS3 is the digital signal
level that can be carried by either copper or fiber physical links.
T3 is the T-Carrier standard for DS3 over coaxial copper service.
The Importance of DS0
DS0 and DS3 are part of the same set of digital signal standards.
DS0 is 64 Kbps, the bandwidth required to support one telephone
call of 8 bits at a sampling rate of 8 Kbps. DS3 has a speed
of 44,736 Kbps, commonly referred to as 45 Mbps. This speed level
was chosen so that 672 DS0s could be multiplexed into one DS3.
One DS3 can also multiplex 28 DS1 services. DS1 is the signal
level transmitted on a T1 line.