What is DS3?
DS3 or Digital Signal level 3 is a standardized TDM service offering
a bandwidth of 45 Mbps. It may be delivered over SONET fiber optic
service or over copper coaxial cable. When delivered over copper,
the line is generally referred to as a T3 line.
When to Use Pseudowires
A pseudowire is a virtual "circuit" that emulates a
traditional digital telecom service but on a packet switched network.
MPLS networks are especially suitable for pseudowires. By using
a pseudowire circuit, you can get the point to point connectivity
you desire without having to re-engineer your facilities to accommodate
a different protocol network.
Applications Demanding DS3
Bandwidth
DS3 transport is often used for real time video transport, high
resolution images, large engineering files, and data backups to
remote data centers. You can get this bandwidth through fiber
optic delivery or over copper coaxial lines, called T3 lines.
DS3 as Ethernet Transport
DS3 bandwidth at 45 Mbps can easily transport 10 Mbps Ethernet
over SONET or T3 line, even with the additional overhead needed
to convert from packet to TDM back to packet protocol. For Fast
Ethernet transport, an OC3 service at 155 Mbps would be required.
What is Fractional DS3 Service?
Fractional DS3, as the name implies, is a fraction of the full
DS3 bandwidth of 45 Mbps. Companies order fractional DS3 when
they don't need or want to pay for the full bandwidth offered
by DS3. Even with fractional DS3, you still need the full coaxial
or optical hardware support for 45 Mbps signaling. At low fractional
requirements, bonded T1 lines offer a more cost effective solution.