Integrated Voice – Data Circuit

Experience the same high quality and reliability while saving money

An integrated voice and data circuit gives your business the ability to integrate Internet access and voice services all in one service. Since businesses rarely max out both their voice lines and data lines simultaneously, this service allows you to combine both lines into double the connection, which keeps costs the same or lower and allows you to double your old capacity if needed, on-demand. Voice takes priority on the new combined circuit but when voice calls aren’t being used, the available remaining bandwidth is then used for public Internet access. This is a cost efficient way to manage your resources effectively. Instead of having two different bills for two services you can now connect your services together and benefit from the advantages that this service can offer.

How does it work?

To illustrate how an integrated access circuit works, we’ll use an example. Imagine a business has a 100M Fiber Internet connection and also has a PRI T1 for voice (i.e. which has a maximum capacity of 23 simultaneous calls). With an integrated circuit, this business can eliminate their voice PRI T1 (which typically costs around $500/month in monthly charges alone), and simply run their voice calls through their 100M Internet connection. Each simultaneous call will only occupy between 32k – 95k, which means at worst, voice will only reduce their 100M connection by just over 2M (95k x 23 = 2,185k). So this business just saved $500/month and they won’t even feel the reduction in bandwidth.

So what does this technology look like? Using the example above, the service provider would install an “integrated access device” (IAD), in the customer’s phone room. Their 100M connection would become a private WAN connection, connecting the service provider on one side and terminating the IAD device at the customer’s site. Hence, the company’s location is actually pulling either Internet or voice from the provider, through the circuit, using the IAD device. The IAD then has two LAN hand-offs: 1) A PRI handoff for the voice; and 2) An Ethernet cable for the Internet access. When traversing the 100M WAN circuit, the IAD converts the voice into data packets (IP Protocol), so that it can ride on the same circuit as the Internet traffic. The IAD also acts as the traffic cop of the integrated circuit, making sure voice calls are always prioritized over Internet traffic. Since voice is being run over a private circuit (i.e. and not the public Internet), call quality is guaranteed at all times.

Although in the example, we used a 100M Fiber circuit and a PRI, this service can be used with any type or size of Dedicated Internet Access (i.e. fiber, T1, DS3, EoC, Fixed Wireless), and any flavor of voice (i.e. PRI, SIP, Analog lines, Supertrunk).

Whats in it for you?

Flexible, Integrated Connectivity. It has voice and data functionality on one circuit, increasing efficiency and giving businesses the capacity to allow their voice and data to expand to beyond their original needs, if occasionally required.

Utilize Excess. Unused voice channels no longer have to sit dormant. With an integrated access circuit, when voice channels are not being used, they are put to use for Internet, helping to deliver a faster Internet connection.

Cost savings. Companies almost always lower their bills when moving from separate circuits for voice and data, to an integrated voice and data circuit. For instance, a telecom provider always charges less for a 20M connection than two 10M connections.

Flexible and Scaleable. Its ability to mix analog and digital services over a single circuit makes it a valuable option for those businesses that want an affordable service for multiple business requirements. Options are available that allow for flexible and scalable bandwidth, allowing additional voice lines or data bandwidth to be added as your company grows.

Simple Pricing and Support. Supported with a single point of contact and delivered on a single invoice.