An Overview of PRI Lines
PRI stands for Primary Rate Interface which is a standard connection in telecommunications. PRI lines are based on a T1 line in the US and E1 line in Europe. A single PRI line is comprised on 24 total channels in the US whereas the E1 PRI line has 32 channels. ISDN PRI T1 lines in the US have 23 B-channels and 1-D channel for caller ID and signaling. PRI T1 lines provide 23.64Kbps for the digital channels and a 1.64Kbps signaling and control channel.
There are two primary levels of service for an ISDN or Integrated Services Digital Network. This includes the Basic Rate Interface (BRI) which is intended for home offices and small businesses. It also includes PRI which is intended for larger businesses or users. The break even point for PRI lines occurs when a company has 9-10 analog phone lines. Both BRI and PRI include B-channels and a D-channel. The B-channel carries voice, data and video traffic. Need a larger connection for more voice and data? PRI lines can be combined through paring which provides 46 B-channels and 2 D-channels. There are usually no more than 2 D-channels that are provisioned as additional PRI lines are added to the group. PRI lines are typically used by mid sized and large enterprises with digital PBX's and phone systems. The PBX is responsible for providing digital access to the Public Switched Telephone Network or PSTN.
What are the benefits associated with PRI lines? There are a lot of service benefits associated with PRI lines including reliability, digital clarity, flexibility and savings. PRI lines provide high speed, high capacity digital connectivity as well as intelligent call handling and caller ID functionality. With PRI lines, you can assign specific B-channels to toll free numbers, direct inward or outward dialing for better voice, data and traffic flow. Multiple lines can be placed on the same PRI trunk to increase efficiencies and reduce the number of necessary channels. Lastly, PRI allows for greater savings by creating efficient use of bandwidth by combining voice, data and video. This reduces the need for additional data and voice circuits.
How reliable are PRI lines? PRI is a proven technology that is highly regarded for reliability and call quality. In fact, many PRI providers offer Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with 99.99% uptime, 100% digital clarity and 24 hour network monitoring. PRI lines can be implemented quickly and can be configured to meet your specific requirement relative to inbound and outbound traffic.
Learn more about PRI lines by contact one of our PRI specialists. At GlobalQuotes, we specialize in helping our customers find the right solutions at the lowest prices available. Simply fill out the form or call us toll free at (877) 708-8900 for more information.
