ADSL

Asymmetric
Digital
Subscriber
Line
Here’s What You Will Learn
About ADSL!

 What is it?
 What are the benefits?
 How fast is it?
 How does it work?
 How do I get it?
 What can I use it for?
 Where is the technology headed?
What is ADSL?

ADSL is a new broadband communication

technology that creates high-speed access
to the Internet and remote networks
using the phone lines that are already
present in your home. ADSL is superior to
analog modems in many respects.
What are the benefits of
ADSL?

 You can talk on the phone and use the Internet

at the same time on a single phone line
 You can connect to the Internet at up to 140
times faster than analog modems
 Your connection to the Internet is always on
 Your home has its own dedicated connection
 Your connection is highly reliability
 Your connection is highly secure
Simultaneous Connections

 Talk on the phone and surf the Internet at

the same time on the same phone line!
 You do not have to disable call waiting to
connect to the Internet.
 Don’t choose between your phone and
your Internet connection anymore…
Get ADSL!
Lightning Fast Internet

 ADSL offers different speeds

 Full-rate ADSL has the potential to deliver
data at speeds up to 8 Megabits per second.
 G.Lite ADSL can deliver up to 1.5 Megabits
per second during downloads. This is 25
times faster than a 56K modem, and 50 times
faster than a 28.8K modem!
 Service providers will also offer slower rates
(from 256 Kbps and up) at lower costs.
ADSL vs. Other Modems

Full ADSL

G.lite ADSL

ISDN

56K

28.8K

14.4K

0 2000 4000 6000 8000

Maximum Speed - Actual speed will vary
Always On

 Because the information is transmitted

separately from the voice/fax calls, your
Internet connection can stay on all the time.
 No more logging on and off
 No more busy signals
 No more waiting… just
open your browser and go!
Dedicated Connection

Unlike a cable modem,

ADSL gives you a
dedicated line to the
Internet. With cable
modems, you are using
a shared line with all
the other users in your
neighborhood.
ADSL Reliability

 One strength of phone providers is their

small number of service outages per year,
something cable companies cannot claim.
 Even if the power goes out, you will still be
able to make phone calls.
 Unlike cable modems, your connection
speed will not be affected by how much
bandwidth your neighbors use.
ADSL Security

 The dedicated connection that ADSL uses

provides more security than cable.
 Cable modem users share bandwidth with
their neighbors. Information traveling
across the network is easier to snoop.
How does ADSL work?
 One phone line delivers
voice and a high-speed
Internet connection
 Voice/fax calls only use
the frequencies below
Voice/Fax

ADSL

4 kHz
 Frequencies above 4
kHz are reserved for
data transmission
0 kHz

1100 kHz
3.4 kHz

25 kHz
How do I get ADSL?

ADSL Service Providers

 Local phone companies
 Local Internet service providers

ADSL Modems
 Check with your service provider for
compatible modems
ADSL History

1985 --
Bell Labs discovers a new way to make traditional copper wires support
new digital services

1990 -- Phone companies start deploying High-Speed DSL (HDSL) to offer T1

service on copper lines without the expense of installing repeaters.

Phone companies begin to promote ADSL as a way to enter the video

market.
1995 --
Innovative companies begin to see ADSL as a way to meet the need for
faster Internet access

Now -- ADSL is being deployed for fast Internet access across the United States.
Different types of ADSL

Full-rate ADSL
Universal ADSL (G.lite)
Full-rate ADSL
 Full-rate ADSL boasts data rates ranging from 1.5 to 8
Megabits per second “downstream” from the Internet to
your computer
 “Upstream” data rates from your computer to the
Internet are as high as 1 Mbps
 Potential data rates decrease with increased distance
from the phone company’s CO (central office)
 Costs for the service are more expensive than the new,
lower data rate “G.Lite” ADSL
G.Lite ADSL

 G.Lite ADSL is a scaled-down version that

delivers up to 1.5 Mbps downstream and
384 Kbps up
 Service providers will offer slower rates
for lower prices
 Less expensive than full-rate ADSL
 Easier to install
Splitter vs. Splitterless

 Full-rate ADSL requires that a device, known

as a splitter, be installed on your phone line
where it enters your home in order to
separate the voice service from the data
service
 G.Lite ADSL will not usually require a splitter,
although some homes with problematic wiring
or certain types of telephones will require one.
Potential Pitfalls

 Some equipment that phone companies

have installed on their lines can seriously
degrade ADSL performance. Most service
providers will test your line before offering
you the service to ensure compatibility.
 A small number of homes may require
some rewiring.
What can I use ADSL for?

 Faster downloads of anything digital

 CD-quality audio
 Graphics-rich websites
 Faster and better multimedia
 High-speed multiplayer games
ADSL Future

 Broadscale, nationwide ADSL rollouts are

happening today
 “Given a choice … those most willing to pay for
the service choose the telephone company 4½
times more frequently than cable.” Survey, The
Yankee Group, November 1998
 ADSL service “in the end will be nearly
ubiquitous” -Peter McGrath, Newsweek,
November 23, 1998
ADSL Summary

 ADSL provides a new way to use existing

phone lines.
 It’s faster!
 It’s always on!
 Voice and data on one line at the same
time!
 ADSL is the best way to get online!