Inside this section
[ DSL vs. Dialup ] [ DSL vs. ISDN ] [ DSL vs. Cable ] [ DSL vs. T1 ] [ Additional Facts ]
What Is DSL?
Use the same phone line you
have in your home now. Have your computers always connected on a dedicated
circuit (Never Dial-Up Again) and still have the ability to talk on the phone at
the same time.
DSL - Digital Subscriber Line
technology is a copper loop transmission technology that converts existing
copper telephone wire into a high-speed data highway with broadband speeds at a
fraction of the cost of other broadband technologies.
DSL technology achieves
broadband speeds over the most universal network media in the world: ordinary
phone wire. DSL circuits are full duplex, meaning that data can flow in both
directions at the same time. Traditional analog telephone conversations, faxes
and modem transmissions are limited to a 3,400Hertz analog voice channel. The
maximum possible modem speed using this analog voice channel more recently
approaching the 56kbps range. Poor line quality and distance often make it
impossible for a modem to function at the speed it was designed for.
How It Works
DSL transmits a broader range
of frequencies over existing copper telephone wire to achieve speeds over 50
times faster than a 28.8k modem, over 30 times faster than a 56k modem and over
12 times faster than 128k ISDN. This significant increase in speed is possible
because DSL uses a dedicated secure copper wire circuit that does not go through
analog telephone switching equipment and because digital data (not an analog
signal) is being transmitted.
DSL technology is distance
sensitive and louses strength as it travels over copper wire. The greater the
distance to the Telephone Company central office (CO), the lower the available
speed. Distance also varies with the quality and gauge of the existing copper
wire that is used for DSL. In most areas the maximum distance for DSL service is
about 18,000 feet. To qualify for DSL service, your location needs to be served
by a Telephone Company (CO) that contains a specialized DSL circuit provider's
hardware.
DSL circuit providers are
independent Telephone Companies that add value to standard Telephone Company dry
copper wire circuits by installing DSL hardware inside of the local Telephone
Company (CO).
The Hub Internet Services,
contracts with DSL circuit providers for the copper wire DSL circuit into the
Telephone Company (CO) and for a connecting circuit to The Hub Internet Services
OC-3 Backbone into the Internet. Using the telephone number and service address
where DSL is to be installed, a reasonably accurate projection can be made of
the distance between the Telephone Company (CO) and the proposed DSL service
address. This distance is used to project what DSL speeds should be available at
the service address.
