Comparison of AT&T DSL & U-verse Internet

DSL is an acronym that stands for direct subscriber line. It uses your home's existing telephone line to provide Internet access through a modem, which can then be connected to a router to provide wireless Internet service for your home or office. Because of the telephone signal strength required to use DSL, customers must be within a certain distance of the telephone service provider's central office. AT&T;'s FastAccess DSL service is available bundled with home telephone service or on its own.

The Wireless Gateway is an intelligent device that connects U-verse Internet with digital television and telephone services to allow you to control your DVR and check your voicemail through your computer or smartphone. It enables wireless networking throughout your home and is powerful enough to eliminate Wi-Fi dead spots. Additionally, it has a professional-quality firewall that protects your information and Internet activities from hackers and other snoops.

AT&T; offers four DSL plans that are available to new or existing AT&T; telephone customers. The DSL Lite plan offers download/upload speeds up to 768 Kbps/128 Kbps, the DSL Ultra plan runs at 1.5 Mbps/256 Kbps, the DSL XTreme plan speeds along at 3 Mbps/384 Kbps and the DSL XTreme 6.0 plan sprints at 6 Mbps/512 Kbps. The latter two plans come with a free Wireless Gateway or modem, and all plans come with one dynamic IP address, basic Wi-Fi, 11 e-mail accounts and 10 MB of personal web space.

U-verse Internet is available in five download speeds. The Pro plan, at 3 Mbps, is good for social networking and email. The 6 Mbps Elite plan works for Internet gaming and online conferencing. The 12 Mbps Max plan is suitable for watching television online and uploading files. At 18 Mbps, the Max Plus plan is good for streaming video, and at 24 Mbps, the Turbo plan is ideal for video conferencing. All service plans come with 11 email accounts, unlimited access to AT&T; Wi-Fi hot spots across the country and the AT&T; Internet security suite, which protects you and your computer from identity thieves, viruses and spyware.