Digital
Subscriber Line (DSL) technology uses existing
copper telephone wiring to deliver high-speed
data services to businesses and homes. In its
various forms - including ADSL, HDSL, IDSL, R-ADSL,
SDSL, and VDSL - DSL offers users a choice of
speeds ranging from 32 Kbps to, in laboratory
settings, more than 50 Mbps. These digital
services will ultimately be used to deliver
bandwidth-intensive applications like video on
demand and distance learning. More
immediately, today DSL is for the first time
putting high-speed Internet access within the
reach of small and medium-size businesses as
well as the private home owner.
DSL
takes existing voice cables that connect
customer premises to the phone company's
central office (CO) and turns them into a
high-speed digital link. Over any given link,
the maximum DSL speed is determined by the
distance between the customer site and the CO.
At
the customer premises, a DSL modem connects
the phone line to either a standalone computer
or a local-area network (LAN). This DSL
equipment differs from other Internet access
devices in two key respects: It requires no
end-user configuration, and it is not a
dial-up solution. Once installed, the DSL
modem provides the customer site with
continuous connection to the Internet.
Continuous
Connection: DSL users are always
connected, so they get immediate Internet
access. ISDN terminal adapters require 5-10
seconds to establish a connection, while
dial-up modems can take nearly half a minute.
Flat
fee: DSL subscribers pay a flat
monthly fee for Internet access. There are no
usage charges to worry about.
Dedicated
Bandwidth: DSL line speeds are
constant and provide the same speed (hence the
"Symmetric" moniker) in both
directions. Unlike cable modems, DSL equipment
is not accessing a shared infrastructure that
throttles down individual connection speeds
when traffic gets heavy.
Investment
Protection: DSL provides customers
with a cost-effective upgrade path. A1 Communication Services
can
upgrade your DSL Access Device remotely via
software when you decide you need a higher
access speed.
Easy
Maintenance: DSL
connectivity is easy to maintain. Unlike ISDN
devices, DSL modems don't require any complex
manual configuration - they are truly plug and
play.
Comparison
to Cable Services: Cable
services are generally a residential and
individual solution only. Cable services
utilize a shared line, introducing security
risks and variable bandwidth throughput
depending on line utilization. In comparison,
A1 DSL uses a dedicated line and delivers
guaranteed bandwidth 24 hours a day. Most
importantly, A1 DSL supports multiple users,
providing access for an entire Local Area
Network, while cable services generally do
not.
