What is Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL)?
Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) is a type of DSL technology that provides greater bandwidth and faster transmission over traditional copper telephone wires than a traditional voice band modem. ADSL is characterized by 'high speeds' and 'always on' connectivity. It does this by using the frequencies that are not used by voice calls.
ADSL is designed to support the typical home Internet user who frequently downloads rather than uploading data.
ADSL is the most common type of DSL connectivity offered by Internet service providers because it uses lines that are already designed for telephone service. This makes it a cheap and viable option for distributing internet connectivity at home.
For ADSL to work, only a microfilter and an ADSL modem need to be installed. Therefore, the installation usually only takes a few hours, including the settings for the connection. With real world speeds of around 2Mbps, it's well suited for home use.
A special filter called a microfilter is needed to use regular voice service and ADSL at the same time. It is installed in the telephone line just before the modem and the telephone. Both modem and telephone are connected to the microfilter.
Technically speaking, ADSL can reach speeds of up to 6 Mbit / s, but only receives 2 Mbit / s downstream (download) and 512 Kbit / s upstream (upload).
ADSL can only be distributed at short intervals from headquarters, usually less than 2.5 miles. It can be more than 5 miles if the thickness of the wires present allows further distribution.
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