Making the most of OC-12 broadband requires that you understand the purpose of this level of Internet service. OC-12 lines usually provide Wide Area Network (WAN) connections by Internet Service Providers (ISPs). Smaller ISPs may also use OC-12 broadband as a backbone for local or regional connections and smaller ISPs may purchase this service from larger ones.

OC-12 stands for Optical Carrier 12 with the number specifying the multiplier of the base rate of carrier level, which is 51.84 million bits per second (Mbit/s). The speed of an OC-12 fiber optic network conforms to the Synchronous Optical Networks (SONET) standard. There are three additional methods of describing the OC-12 carrier service:

1. Synchronous Transport Module (STM-4); This is a multiple of the Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) fiber optic network transmission standard STM-1 which has a bit rate of 155.52 Mbit/s.
2. Synchronous Transport Signal (STS-12); This is a multiple of the basic unit of measure STS-1 used by SONET.
3. A network line that carries data at a maximum rate of up to 622.08 Mbit/s; A maximum of 60.344 Mbit/s for an OC-12 connection may be the payload.
   

Action Steps
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Learn technical information about OC12 broadband technologies

There is a great deal of technical information available on transmission protocols. A thorough understanding of the technology involved will aid in your search for a service provider for your business. It is especially important to know the relative transmission speeds of these different technologies.

I recommend: Convert-Me.com provides a conversion chart that compares OC-12 service to various other forms of telecommunications. Learn more about OC-12 broadband service capabilities at DirectGlobal Communications.

Access data sheets for equipment used by OC-12 service providers to create WAN connections for ISPs

Service providers frequently need OC-12 equipment to incrementally expand existing infrastructures in a cost-effective manner. These units should have features that will allow diverse deployment options that include DS1, Ethernet and optical services delivery to their subscribers.

I recommend: Avago Technologies offers datasheets and a summary of features to allow you to easily compare models. Textronix has datasheets on a variety of OC-12 equipment including signal analyzers.

Look for current news that informs OC-12 providers about increasing T-1 lines

ISPs frequently resell their telecommunications capacity to their subscribers in the form of T-1 service. Many websites keep regular blogs and posts that offer helpful news and information about OC-12 equipment and ISPs.

I recommend: ISP Planet publishes regular news articles on ISPs that help to improve service capacity. Broadband Wireless Internet Access (BWIA) / WiMax News specializes in news on wireless Internet access, including providers that offer OC-12 service.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Many OC12 service providers offer this level of broadband service in burstable or fractional rates. A burstable line has a minimum transmission speed although the exact throughput is variable. Fractional service is a fixed percentage of the full rate.

OC-12 broadband is the 12^th Optical Carrier (OC) level carried on a Synchronous Optical NETworking (SONET) fiber optic network. The OC level is directly proportional to the data rate of the digital signal with each level representing approximately 51.84 million bits per second (Mbit/s).

OC-12 speed is therefore 622.08 Mbit/s of which 601.344 Mbit/s is payload and 20.736 Mbit/s is overhead (including the path overhead). An OC-12 line may also be known as a Synchronous Transport Module 4 (STM-4) line, which is 4 times the basic transmission rate of the Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) International Telecommunication Union Telecommunication (ITU-T) standard.

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) most often use OC-12 lines as Wide Area Network (WAN) connections and small ISPs may use them as a backbone for local or regional connections.
SONET SDH is currently the standard for optical telecommunications and will provide the data transmission infrastructure for telecommunications until at least the year 2030. It has significantly more bandwidth and flexibility over older telecommunications systems like traditional telephone lines.

In order to obtain OC-12 service you will need to:

1. Obtain quotes from multiple OC-12 providers on customized OC-12 service packages.

2. Locate the available flat rates on standardized OC-12 service packages.

3. Find any ongoing discounts or specials from OC-12 service providers your area.

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Get bids on broadband OC from competing providers

A competitive bidding process frequently determines OC-12 pricing. You should determine your specific business requirements first before getting a quote from each OC-12 carrier.

I recommend: Complete this online form to get quotes from a specific OC-12 Internet provider. Your requirements will automatically forward to any broadband OC vendors meeting your criteria.

Look for fixed rates on OC-12 Internet service

A specific broadband OC carrier may also list flat rates on their website. They will usually list the area they service as well with the aid of a locator tool.

I recommend: Use the service availability tool at US*Access. Enter your phone number to check for service to your specific location. A zip code entry will tell you if US*Access generally provides OC-12 service to your area.

Check for discounts from OC-12 service providers

Many OC-12 providers have ongoing specials, frequently targeted for businesses looking to resell bandwidth.

I recommend: Look at the current specials at broadband.com. Their participating carriers also provide pricing options primarily for large enterprises that require dedicated connectivity with high-end bandwidth.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  You will generally want to use the same OC-12 carrier for all of your service locations. Providers of OC-12 broadband should be accustomed to providing service to multiple locations.
• •  OC-12 service may also be in burstable and fractional rates. The transmission rate on burstable OC-12 has a minimum floor but the exact throughput can vary greatly. Fractional service is simply a fixed percentage of the full 622 Mbps rate.

Providing OC-12 broadband education and training is a great way to ensure your employees are fully knowledgeable about the broadband system. Well-trained employees often provide a higher level of customer service. They are also able to more efficiently repair the broadband system or troubleshoot problems that may occur. Many OC12 providers push their companies forward with well-educated and trained employees.

When deciding what type OC-12 broadband education and training your company needs, there are a few different training options to choose from. On-site training is a great choice for companies that want to train a large number of people at one time. Seminars are meant for one to five employees who need comprehensive training. Online training course are also available for companies that want to train one or two people.

1. Locate companies that provide on-site training for OC-12 service providers.

2. Travel to seminars designed for the optical carrier 12 system.

3. Sign up for web-based OC-12 connections training courses.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find on-site training for OC-12 service providers

OC-12 providers often hire professionals to come to their place of business and train a large number of employees in the comfort of the office. This allows you to cut down on travel expenses and allows as many employees as you want to train at one time.

I recommend: Bottom Line Technologies provides trained professionals who come to your company and train employees in OC-12 connections. Enterasys provides customers with the option of receiving OC12 broadband training at their company or yours.

Attend seminars designed for those using optical carrier 12 systems

Seminars require you to travel to a facility or class to receive in-depth training in a relatively short amount of time. Most OC-12 broadband seminars last one to three days. Seminars are generally held on the weekend so they don't interfere with the work week.

I recommend: Nortel Networks offers seminars that educate employees about OC-12 connections. Browse the variety of telecommunications training courses and OC-12 broadband seminars available through ENO.com.

Locate web-based training opportunities about OC-12 connections

Online, or web-based, training gives your employees the freedom to take classes at any time and any play they have computer and Internet access. Some of these courses award the students with a certification after they successfully complete the course. These courses are designed to train one student at a time, unlike the other two options.

I recommend: Visit Tellabs for an online course in OC12 connections. Jones/NCTI provides a wide range of online courses in OC12 connections and providers.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Certification for OC12 broadband is not mandatory. Certification is available for many online training courses as proof that you completed the course. Although the training is not mandatory to be able to work with the broadband system, completion of the training helps boost employee morale, productivity and overall safety when making repairs.