FAQ on website question.... "What products does BondDesk offer? BondDesk offers the largest inventory of live and executable Corporates, Municipals, Agencies, Treasuries, CDs, Asset Backed Bonds, Mortgage Backed Bonds and CMOs. " Are these all available via IB?
right now IB offer only corporates(as far as i know) check their website- http://www.interactivebrokers.com/en/trading/bonds.php?ib_entity=llc about experience-there is not much difference in execution itself. you see ask,place order,get you fill. that it. it take a bit longer and it explained on IB page why. i bought some short maturity THC bonds just after IB start offer bonds, @ 97 ,then THC bought them back couple months later for 100 something. did make some quick money. the great thing about IB and bonds that they offer free quotes and commissions damm good. usually full service bastards not going to give you any quotes, and prices from their own inventory way,way higher. 1% markup from current market price is not unusual. one thing i really like to see in IB's TWS (and i hope Steve or Def can forward it to the managent) is ability to get bond data thru API and ability to place basket orders on bonds, or place GTC orders. or at least ability to place and SAVE alarm till it cancelled, so it can stay for days. there is some good deals on bonds from time to time, but it really hard to catch them.