Pricing

ISDN includes: 5 email accounts, Postini filtering, newsgroups

Accounts are "unlimited connect time" but cannot be "nailed up" for use as dedicated connections. You must configure your computer or router to disconnect when the connection is not needed. ISDN dedicated connection accounts are available at $80/month for 1 B channel dedicated and the other B channel on demand, or $120/month for both B channels dedicated. Routed IP blocks are available with ISDN but require a dedicated connection account.

What is ISDN?

ISDN stands for Integrated Services Digital Network, which is the extension of the circuit-switched digital phone network all the way to an end customer location. ISDN is designed to carry a wide variety of services including voice, videoconferencing and data over the same access line. Rather than being converted to analog at the central office and then suffering degradation on the local copper loop, voice traffic stays digital all the way to the customer. Connecting to the Internet takes only 3-4 seconds using ISDN, compared to 25-30 seconds with an analog modem.

Basic rate ISDN (BRI) uses a simple form of DSL modulation called 2B1Q to transport two B channels plus one D channel, or 2B+D. Each B channel can carry a voice call or 64 kb/s of data. If both B channels are used for data, the speed is 128 kb/s in each direction. The D channel is used for signaling to establish and terminate calls.

Some useful ISDN terms are:

• alternate voice/data – the ability of a B channel to carry either voice or data calls
• call bumping – used in conjunction with a feature the phone company calls "additional call offering", this allows an incoming or outgoing voice call to take over one B channel if both are being used for data, rather than encounter a busy signal (the data throughput is reduced from 128 to 64 kb/s for the duration of the voice call)
• dial-on-demand – the ability of a router to dial an ISP or other location based on the destination IP address of outgoing traffic
• bandwidth-on-demand – the ability of an ISDN router to dial up a second B channel call when the first B channel is utilized to a certain percentage of its capacity
• NAT – network address translation, used to translate between public and private IP addresses, using unique "sockets" (address+port) to present multiple internal addresses as a single external address
• bands A, B and C – local calling areas used by the phone company to set rates for per-minute usage on both conventional and ISDN calls (corresponding to approximately an 8 mile radius around your local central office for Band A and 15 miles for Band B)
• IDSL – a form of DSL service using ISDN technology but without going through the switched phone network

ISDN for business

SBC charges businesses by the minute (what they call "usage" or "measured service") even on local calls, but they have a flat-rate ISDN package for about $90/month with unlimited calling within bands A and B (15 miles). This makes Internet access via ISDN attractive for businesses, however it is important to make sure your ISP has an ISDN access number that is a band A or B call from your location. Otherwise the usage charges from the phone company will be prohibitive. Voice calls are also free within 15 miles over the ISDN line, so if you send a lot of local FAXes you should consider putting your FAX machine on one of the analog ports.

An ISDN router with an Ethernet port connects to your LAN so that all PCs in the office can access the Internet. Some routers include an Ethernet hub, or you can use an external Ethernet hub or switch. Note that the computers still need an Ethernet NIC card (available for about $25) if they don't already have an Ethernet port.

IDSL is not the same as ISDN even though the speeds are comparable. ISDN is a switched service that was intended to be the digital replacement for standard analog voice lines, and it is supported by the same Lucent 5ESS and Nortel DMS-100 switches that SBC uses for analog voice. ISDN can be served out of digital loop carrier systems using BRITE cards, and equipment is available to extend the reach on loops served out of the central office. This means ISDN is available in many locations that do not qualify for any speed of DSL including IDSL.

Here is a summary of some key ISDN advantages:

• can be used for data, voice, or both at the same time
• 128 kb/s symmetric throughput, about 3 times as fast as a modem
• flat rate ISDN for unlimited voice and data calls within 15 miles
• multiple PCs share an ISDN line, similar to DSL
• widely available
• switch ISPs just by programming the router to dial a different number

ISDN at home

Most of what we just said about ISDN for business also applies to home office applications, so let's highlight some differences:

• SBC charges about $40/month for residential ISDN, and you get free local band A calls (your ISP dialup number needs to be within about 8 miles)
• if you only have one PC you can use an ISDN terminal adapter (also called an ISDN modem) instead of a router, although we still recommend the router
• telecommuters can access the corporate network over the Internet using a VPN, or the ISDN router can be configured to dial either the corporate dialup number or the ISP dialup number depending on the destination IP address

What do I need for an ISDN connection to the Internet?

Typically you will need these items:

1. an ISDN dialup account with a local ISP
2. an ISDN line from the telephone company
3. an ISDN modem or router (technically called a terminal adapter or TA)

There tends to be lots of confusion about #1 and #2. You need both. We are an ISP, and we provide #1. You will typically get #2 from SBC and #3 from an online retailer or eBay. If you don't already have an ISDN line, you can order directly from Team Data at Ameritech by calling 1-888-878-4736. If you are shopping for a used ISDN router on eBay, look for a Netgear RT338. If you are looking for new equipment, choices include Netopia R3100-U or R3100-UP, and Cisco 802 or 804.

Ordering ISDN service has been somewhat simplified by the standardization of ISDN Ordering Codes or "IOCs". Here are some guidelines for ordering your ISDN line:

• For data only, order IOC-S.
• For data and voice, order IOC-U. This gets you additional call offering on the primary ISDN phone number, so incoming voice calls are not blocked when you are using the Internet. IOC-U also includes call management features like call forwarding and 3-way calling.
• An alternate to IOC-U at about the same price is IOC-S1, which lacks the call management features but has additional call offering on both phone numbers. Check with us before ordering IOC-S1, there are some caveats if your local switch is a DMS-100.
• If you want IOC-U plus voicemail, order IOC-V (adds about $12/month).
• Business customers should order the flat rate package, otherwise all calls are billed by the minute.

What is included?

Our ISDN access service includes the following features:

• email at username@mssinternet.com (up to 5 accounts)
• Usenet news server access
• single B channel (64 kb/s) or dual B channel (128 kb/s)

Connection time is "unlimited" but ISDN accounts cannot be "nailed up" for use as a dedicated connection. Dedicated connection accounts are available at $80/month for 1 B channel dedicated and the other B channel on demand, or $120/month for both B channels dedicated. Routed IP blocks require a dedicated connection account.

What will the telco charge for the ISDN line?

If you use SBC, the cost will be around $40/month for residential or $90/month for business, plus one-time installation and provisioning charges. Per-minute charges apply for calls outside the local calling area (8 miles residential, 15 miles business).