What Should I Know About DSL Service?

DSL is the acronym given to the Internet access type called a Digital Subscriber Line. It operates through your phone line, like a dial-up modem. Unlike dial-up connections, DSL provides broadband Internet access. In addition, unlike dial-up connections, if you put a DSL modem on a phone line and access the Internet, you can still use the line for other devices like telephones. They do this by sending their signals on different frequencies than what are used by normal phone communications.

The DSL term covers a broad variety of digital subscriber lines, each with its own attributes. If you have a DSL connection, it is likely ADSL. This means Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Lines. It is easy enough to understand. The Asymmetrical part simply means that the download and upload transfer rates are different. The other common type of DSL you might encounter is SDSL, or Symmetrical Digital Subscriber Line. This means that download and upload speeds are the same. You might need a high upload speed if you are running a business, and need to transfer large files frequently.

Choosing a DSL Internet access type provides several advantages. First, it is always on. No more will you hear the noises of a dial-up connection. It is also much faster than dial-up, offering speeds into the megabytes-per-second scale. Because it is offered over a standard phone line, so long as you have an open jack you can set up a broadband connection. Unlike other broadband solutions, DSL does not share bandwidth. That means you experience little or no slowdown during peak usage times.

While there are many upsides, DSL also has several downsides. Distance is one. The farther you are from the service hub or office, the slower your connection. This often means that users in less urban or more rural areas are not eligible for a DSL connection. DSL also produces phone line noise, often meaning you have to install line filters or split your phone line. If you do require a broadband connection with symmetric download and upload speeds, these often cost considerably more than asymmetrical lines.