An E1 line - how does it work?

We've been told that our current dual bonded ADSL solution is being changed to an E1 line. Apparently they are going to get rid of our two ISDN lines and the two ADSL lines and replace all of that with a single E1 connection.

I'm curious what kind of technology is going to be used (it sure ain't going to be fibre, lol). Our office is in a converted barn about 4km from the exchange. Our ADSL lines currently have attenuations of around 54db and are moderately stable (some days rock solid, other days one or two drops an hour).

So what's involved in providing a 2Mb/s bidirectional Ethernet link over that kind of distance? Bonded copper pairs? We queried reliability since it's going to have to carry all our comms traffic and we've been assured that it will be as stable and reliable as a telephone line. Any sign of instability is to be treated as a fault and will be immediately rectified.

Could be bonded copper / EFM. Another thought is that if there's a cabinet nearby that might have fibre to it or has ducting with room they'll blow fibre and run SHDSL from there.

Those are the two that come to mind immediately.

E1 is 2Mb

More about E1

In reply to a post by somerset:

E1 is 2Mb

Not sure I get your point?

In reply to a post by Ignitionnet:

Could be bonded copper / EFM. Another thought is that if there's a cabinet nearby that might have fibre to it or has ducting with room they'll blow fibre and run SHDSL from there.

Those are the two that come to mind immediately.

There's a cabinet in the village but we've also been told that one of the advantages is that it's relatively cheap. Supposedly all things considered (including putting us on their world-wide VOiP system) means they come out almost even.

Simplistically, an E1 is a 2Mb Private Circuit, which can be delivered via fibre, but more usually via copper.
Interface presentation is usually G.703, but can also be X.21. Transmission technology can be SDH, but is more likely to be PDH.
Usually very reliable and generally supported by high SLA's, giving a response time for reported faults of 4-5 hours, covered 24x7x365.

In reply to a post by Ignitionnet:

In reply to a post by somerset:

E1 is 2Mb

Not sure I get your point?

The speed of an E1 link is 2Mb.

In reply to a post by somerset:

The speed of an E1 link is 2Mb.

Yes, I know, and I still don't get your point.

In reply to a post by panda:

Simplistically, an E1 is a 2Mb Private Circuit, which can be delivered via fibre, but more usually via copper.
Interface presentation is usually G.703, but can also be X.21. Transmission technology can be SDH, but is more likely to be PDH.
Usually very reliable and generally supported by high SLA's, giving a response time for reported faults of 4-5 hours, covered 24x7x365.

Yes I know this and am quite familiar with them, have assisted in commissioning a few. Over the kind of distance the OP mentioned though, with DSL circuits indicating a loop length of >4km, doesn't this seem a bit of a stretch for 2 pairs? Without a line extension / regeneration E1s max out around 3km.

E1s are often delivered via SHDSL and HDSL. The cable companies come to mind immediately as two who delivered this way, fibre to cabinet then SHDSL or HDSL if multiple pairs are needed.

The point of running with EFM is to supply resiliency and remove the need for a repeater. Even over that range they can rack some pairs up to deliver 2Mbps reliably using SHDSL.bis.

In reply to a post by Ignitionnet:

In reply to a post by somerset:

The speed of an E1 link is 2Mb.

Yes, I know, and I still don't get your point.

It seems fairly obvious to me that not only do/did you (obviously) know, but that the OP did so before posting. So you answered the OP's question without giving him redundant information .

So I don't get the point of that other post either.

If out of limts for copper delivery (1,2 or 3 pairs) then either fibre, or 18ghz radio assuming their is line of sight, planning permission, costs etc.

Edited by witchunt (Fri 16-Jul-10 12:18:03)

In reply to a post by witchunt:

If out of limts for copper delivery (1,2 or 3 pairs) then either fibre, or 18ghz radio assuming their is line of sight, planning permission, costs etc.

Ok thanks for that.

Never worked for BT so can only describe what 'A N Other' operators did!

In reply to a post by Ignitionnet:

Yes I know this and am quite familiar with them, have assisted in commissioning a few. Over the kind of distance the OP mentioned though, with DSL circuits indicating a loop length of >4km, doesn't this seem a bit of a stretch for 2 pairs? Without a line extension / regeneration E1s max out around 3km.

E1s are often delivered via SHDSL and HDSL. The cable companies come to mind immediately as two who delivered this way, fibre to cabinet then SHDSL or HDSL if multiple pairs are needed.

The point of running with EFM is to supply resiliency and remove the need for a repeater. Even over that range they can rack some pairs up to deliver 2Mbps reliably using SHDSL.bis.

Okay I have a little more information. We've apparently been quoted around £4,000 (it's only me doesn't know the exact figure - IT have formal quote from the provider). So how much work can be done for £4,000 given this route:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=B...

..FWIW the cabinet is:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=B...

It's the smaller of the two green objects. The larger one appears to be an electricity engineer

Edited by Andrue (Fri 16-Jul-10 12:38:16)

In reply to a post by Andrue:

It's the smaller of the two green objects. The larger one appears to be an electricity engineer

Optician time for you melad!

The larger one is a milkman, and his float is on the opposite corner.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

In reply to a post by Andrue:

It's the smaller of the two green objects. The larger one appears to be an electricity engineer

Optician time for you melad!

The larger one is a milkman, and his float is on the opposite corner.

ROFL! Yeah - you can even see the bottles in his hand.

My excuse is that I've spent most of the week working and fighting with NetBackup

It would certainly explain why he's 'putting his best foot forward'. I did think it was a little odd that someone of that ilk would be going anywhere in such a rapid and determined manner

Edited by Andrue (Fri 16-Jul-10 13:46:12)

I believe there is a BTnet leased line product called E1 LAN

In reply to a post by Andrue:

In reply to a post by Ignitionnet:

Yes I know this and am quite familiar with them, have assisted in commissioning a few. Over the kind of distance the OP mentioned though, with DSL circuits indicating a loop length of >4km, doesn't this seem a bit of a stretch for 2 pairs? Without a line extension / regeneration E1s max out around 3km.

E1s are often delivered via SHDSL and HDSL. The cable companies come to mind immediately as two who delivered this way, fibre to cabinet then SHDSL or HDSL if multiple pairs are needed.

The point of running with EFM is to supply resiliency and remove the need for a repeater. Even over that range they can rack some pairs up to deliver 2Mbps reliably using SHDSL.bis.

Okay I have a little more information. We've apparently been quoted around £4,000 (it's only me doesn't know the exact figure - IT have formal quote from the provider). So how much work can be done for £4,000 given this route:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=B...

..FWIW the cabinet is:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=B...

It's the smaller of the two green objects. The larger one appears to be an electricity engineer

Looks more like the milkman than an engineer

Oops - that has already been said..... lol