"Show & Telecom: What Is A DS3?"

DS3 Internet and Voice Pricing

To answer the question, "What is a DS3?" we need to take a look at how the digital hierarchy works within the telecommunication services industry. "DS" is an acronym for "Digital Signal", while the "3" is an indication of what level the digital signal is being accessed and transferred, as defined by the digital hierarchy. Often people are more familiar with the terms T1, T-2, or T3. These T-Carrier levels directly correspond to Digital Signals of the same level.

So what is a DS3, and how does it differ from a T3?

Before going into a deeper explanation of the digital hierarchy, it helps to identify the difference between the terms DS3 and T3. The DS3 access signals are used primarily within a building or other such setting to connect a network.

Most often this is a Wide Area network (WAN). Once the digital signal emerges form the confines of the building, it is considered to be a T-Carrier line equivalent to the designator of the Digital Signal. In this case, a DS3 would become a T3 outside the immediate network confines of the building.

What is a DS3 within the Digital Hierarchy?

A DS3 access to telecommunication services is a digital line capable of transmitting 44.736 Megabytes per second (Mbps). This is defined through the grouping levels of channels. Each channel is capable of transmitting 64 Kilobytes per second (Kbps).

A DS3 connection consists of 672 channels. When making a comparison to a lower level of connection within the digital hierarchy, as in the connection rate of a DS1, which utilizes 24 channels, this means that a DS3 will operate at 28 times the transmission rate, or bandwidth of a DS1. So, to explain in simple terms "What is a DS3?" the only real answer is more power, faster service, and satisfied customers.