• What Type of Business Service do I need?
  Almost all businesses want phone service that gives them phone lines and allows them to access the internet. There are two basic types of service, business lines with DSL or a T1 which combines everything together.
  
  For smaller accounts business lines with DSL is the right choice. These packages start around $100.00 for a phone line and internet. You can add lines as you need them.
  
  T1's pricing can be as low as $300.00 but generally are $350.00 and up. They become very cost effective when a business approaches 10 lines in size. The internet speed is usually much faster than DSL.
• Can I Get a Good Telephone Number?
  Everyone can. It is a headache for the phone person, so find out what they can do before signing a contract. Clear Choice Connections will; always happily get you a good phone number without any additional charges for it.
• Why is a T1 Better?
  It is a completely digital phone service. The phone company puts a very high voltage on the lines creating a more stable and reliable circuit. The entire circuit is dedicated just to your business. DSL is a shared line and other companies on it can slow it down. If the internet speed on your T1 is 768k it is always that speed and does not fluctuate. A T1 can allow you to put up to 24 lines on one circuit.
• Why Should I Deal with a Phone Service Broker instead of The Phone Company Direct?
  There are many different phone companies in most markets. They are either the local Bell or a competitive local exchange carrier. (CLEC). Every business customer has different needs. If you talk to only one Phone Company, they can only tell you about their product. It might not be the most effective for you. There are many businesses that have a T1 for $500.00 a month when they only needed a couple of lines and DSL for $150.00 because the phone company they talked to only had T1's.
• Do I Need to do a Long Term Contract?
  No, always try for a 1 year contract or month to month for phone service, but look at all the costs. Any T1 or DSL will require some type of contract because the carrier encounters a large expense setting it up.
• Is There a Difference in Service Levels?
  Absolutely, but it is very much a commodity. If the pricing is close always pick the company with the best service level. This includes how easy it is to get someone on the phone and how quickly they take care of the problem.
• Can I Get a Toll Free Number and How Much Does it Cost?
  Any service provider can supply a Toll free number. They are billed as long distance and some carriers bill a small monthly charge. Always check the costs with the specific carrier as they do vary. For instance, some carriers will take it off your free long distance and some will not.
• What about Long Distance?
  Almost any package for DSL or T1 includes some free long distance. It varies greatly from carrier to carrier. With the advent of VOIP long distance is almost free to many of the carriers. Some of them will give you up to 50,000 minutes for free.
• Common Sense Advice
  
  • Never do a long term contract without knowing the buyouts.
  
  • Some carriers will stick you with an automatic contract rollover. Always terminate in writing with legal proof.
  
  • Always know the "out the door pricing"!! Some carriers will lowball the price and add "taxes" that can add 20, 30, 40% to the cost.
  
  • Get references if the service is unfamiliar.
  
  • Look up numbers on the internet!
  
  • Read the fine print.

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