| frame relay
This ANSI/ITU-T-standard packet
interface protocol has a few advantages over ISDN. For one thing, you can
purchase frame relay lines in increments between 56 kbps and 1.5 mbps
(equivalent to a T1 connection). The protocol also has a flat-rate billing
structure instead of a per-hour usage charge. But frame relay is designed
for data transfer only, so it's not well suited to videoconferencing or
any other voice application. Frame relay is sometimes confused with a
leased line. Both are used primarily to extend a local area network (LAN)
between business branches. However, a leased line is a dedicated line
permanently connected between sites, and frame relay uses the telephone
company's shared network on an as-needed basis. |