Question : T1 Flex service MPLS vs Fiber MPLS

I have been given an offer to move to a flex T1 MPLS service with internet and PRI for 3 sites. It worries me because we are moving lots of data over the network and we already have issues with the local loop. The way it was described to me was a bunch of T1s coming in and sharing the bandwidth throughout the network. At the same time I was offered a fiber solution for all sites. What are the benefits to the flex service? We are about to roll out a VOIP as well. The flex provider wants 7 T1s at one site and 3 T1s at the other. They will have a PRI at each as well. Another carrier offered a full fiber MPLS topology. I know that the fiber network does not have too many downsides but what about the flex service?

Answer : T1 Flex service MPLS vs Fiber MPLS

alrighty, so cost aside, fiber's your better bet. if you need to do a cost justification it should be pretty easy to justify an additional 2500 / mo. as compared to lost productivity when the T1's drop, especially if you're planning on implementing VoIP.  the stability of fiber, again presuming infrastructure like proper backup power is going to be worth more than the couple thousand a month. Say you have 100 employees each making $30 an hour and you have an average of one T1 outage per quarter, during which your T1's are down for 4 hours. That's 100x30 = 3000. $3000x say four hours lost productivity per outage = $12K. Compared to a service cost increate of 2500x3 = 7500. Even if you figure that lost productivity is only say 60% that's $7200 per in lost productivity which is a mere $300 difference. And 60% productivity loss when your phones AND network don't work is pretty generous.

go with the fiber