Looking for bandwidth? That can be a daunting and frustrating task even in the best of situations. There's lots to consider in order to make the right decision for your needs. Below you'll find some help when evaluating Fractional DS3 vs DS3. Factors covered include Technology, Speed, Description, Application, Pros, Cons, and Cost.

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Technology: Fractional DS3

Speed: 3 Mbps - 44.736 Mbps

Description: A fraction of a full DS-3, which is comprised of 28 T-1s or 672 channels.

Application: Provides access from a location into the Internet for a large business or ISP (Internet Service Provider).

Pros: Provides very high speed access directly into the carrier's backbone. Bandwidth guaranteed by SLA (Service Level Agreement). Very reliable.

Cons: Setup and monthly costs can be prohibitive.

Costs: A Fractional DS3 will likely start at around $2,000 for a stable, reliable system (e.g. from a Tier 1 provider)....not including the local loop. A required router is additional unless provided as a "freebie" incentive by the vendor. Price climbs as distance from the providers Central Office (CO) increases. However....the pricing for these connections can vary widely depending on the carrier, location of service and the application for which the connection is being used. For example...Tier 1 providers will probably cost more than local/regional Tier 2 and Tier 3 providers but are much more stable and reliable. A Tier 1 provider should be the provider of choice for any business serious about the quality of their network. Also, expect to pay more if you are in a rural area or need integrated (voice and data combined) DS3 service.

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Technology: DS3

Speed: 44.736 Mbps

Description: dedicated connection made up of the equivalent of 28 T-1s.

Application: Provides access from a location into the Internet for a large business or ISP (Internet Service Provider).

Pros: Circuit runs directly into the carrier's backbone. Bandwidth guaranteed by SLA (Service Level Agreement). Very reliable.

Cons: Setup and monthly costs can be prohibitive.

Costs: A full DS3 obviously will cost more than a Fractional DS3. Expect cost to start at around a $3-5,000 for a stable, reliable system (e.g. from a Tier 1 provider).....not including the local loop. A required router is additional unless provided as a "freebie" incentive by the vendor. Price climbs as distance from the providers Central Office (CO) increases. However....the pricing for these connections varies widely depending on the carrier, location of service and the application for which the connection is being used. For example...Tier 1 providers may cost more than local/regional Tier2 and Tier 3 providers but are much more stable and reliable. A Tier 1 provider should be the provider of choice for any business serious about the quality of their network. Also, expect to pay more if you are in a rural area or need integrated (voice and data combined) or bonded (multiple DS3s bound in 1 network....option vs full OC3) DS3 service.

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Technology: E3 (Europe)

Speed: 34.368 Mbps

Description: European equivalent of T-3. Made up of the equivalent of 28 T-1s.

Application: Provides access from a location into the Internet for a large business or ISP (Internet Service Provider).

Pros: Circuit runs directly into the carrier's backbone. Bandwidth guaranteed by SLA (Service Level Agreement). Very reliable.

Cons: Setup and monthly costs can be prohibitive.

Costs: A full E3 usually costs more than it's North American counterpart. Expect cost to start at around a $6-8,000 for a stable, reliable 45 Mbps system (e.g. from an equivalent Tier 1 provider). A required router is additional unless provided as a "freebie" incentive by the vendor (not common in Europe). Local loops range from $1,000 - $3,000/month. Price climbs as distance from the providers Central Office (CO) increases. However....just as with the North American version the pricing for these connections varies widely depending on the carrier, location of service and the application for which the connection is being used.

Michael is the owner of FreedomFire Communications....including DS3-Bandwidth.com and Business-VoIP-Solution.com. Michael also authors Broadband Nation where you're always welcome to drop in and catch up on the latest BroadBand news, tips, insights, and ramblings for the masses.

The Nintendo Wii, aside from being an amazing gaming machine with excellent mulitmedia capabilities, has been a sales phenomenon worldwide, and has blown the other other new generations out of the water. With its revolutionary control system, amazing games library and affordable price, it's hardly a surprise.

This has led the other console makers to pull out all the stops to try to compete with Nintendo's gaming giant. In many cases, its almost pathetic the lengths the other companies will go to try to compete. Here's Sony's latest attempt to compete with the Wii.

After being dominated in sales by the phenomenal success of Nintendo's Wii console, Sony is releasing a crippled version of their PS3 console at a cheaper price point in order to compete with Nintendo's sales juggernaut.

The new iteration of the Playstation 3, which will feature a smaller hard drive, less USB ports and the reverse compatibility removed (which means no playing PS2 or PS1 games), will be released at a cheaper price point in the hopes of better competing with the more affordable Wii.

The new Playstation 3 will retail for around $400, which is still costlier than the Wii, but Sony will re-emphasise the PS3's realistic graphics and power chip to justify the price gap. Does it sound to anyone else like Sony is grasping at straws here? I can see the ad now: "In addition to having no decent games, the new PS3 has 50% less features than the old one! Buy the new PlayStation 3... please? We're dyin' over here!"

Seth Gecko is a Nintendo fan from way back, and loves his Wii in a way that is slightly unnatural.

To find out how you can download Wii games and turn your Wii into a mulitmedia super machine that plays movies, music and games, click here