When a company needs an MPLS network for a large number of domestic locations (think retail) the cost of T1 local loops can make the cost of such an implementation cost prohibitive. For many areas, DSL loops might be the perfect solution.
Using DSL for the local loop is not the same as your DSL internet connection. The technology is the same, but your circuit joins the MPLS carrier at the DSLAM. The result is a dramatic reduction in cost and reasonably good circuit stability.
DSL loops can have SLAs of 99.95% uptime, versus T1 SLAs of 99.99% uptime. But time to restore a DSL circuit may take longer than a T1. As with any business decision, you need to measure the cost versus the benefits. For retail, dial-up can be used for back-up to support credit card authorization.
Not every carrier offers DSL loops. But if you have a lot of locations and your upload bandwidth requirements are 512K or less, this might be a suitable solution for your organization. Since this access method is not available everywhere, you should expect to still use some T1s in isolated areas. But the total cost of your network is what really matters.
