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DSL Internet Access Service
How Does DSL Internet Access Work? Traditional phone service, sometimes
referred to as "Plain Old Telephone Service" (POTS), connects your home or
small business to a telephone company office via copper wires. These wires
are wound around each other in "twisted pairs". This enables you to exchange
voice information with other phone users. The type of signal used for this
kind of transmission is called analog. An input device, such as a phone set,
takes an acoustic signal and converts it into an electrical equivalent in
terms of volume and pitch. Since the telephone company's signaling is
already set up for this analog wave transmission, it's easier to use that as
the way to get information back and forth between your telephone and the
telephone company. This is the reason why your computer must have a modem!
The modem receives and translates the analog signal, and then converts the
analog values into digital information.
Analog transmission only uses a small portion of the available amount of
information that could be transmitted over copper wires. As a result, the
maximum amount of data that you can receive using ordinary modems is only
about 56 Kbps, a fraction of what is possible when using DSL. The ability of
your computer to receive information is held back by the fact that the
telephone company filters information that arrives as digital data, puts it
into analog form for your telephone line, and requires your modem to change
it back into digital. The result is slow downstreaming.
So, you see, modern science came up with a technological solution to all
this - DSL! DSL is a technology that assumes that digital data does not have
to be changed into analog form and back. Digital data is transmitted to your
computer directly as digital data. This allows the phone company to use a
much wider bandwidth for transmitting it to you. The signal can be separated
so that some of the bandwidth is used to transmit an analog signal; The
result? You can talk on the phone and use the Internet on the same line, and
do both things at the same time!
What's a Splitter? And Will I Need One?
A splitter is a frequency filter that separates the high frequencies used
for sending data upstream and receiving downstream data from the low
frequency range used for voice. These high and low frequencies are
transmitted at the same time. Most DSL technologies now require that a
splitter be installed at a home or business. So, generally the phone company
has to make a visit to install it. And, of course, you've must be home for
the installation! It is, of course, worth the inconvenience and the small
additional expense. However, with DSL Lite now currently on the market, it
is now possible to manage the splitting remotely from the telephone
company's central office. This is known as "splitterless" DSL, "DSL Lite,"
G.Lite, or Universal ADSL, and has recently been made a standard. G Lite
eliminates the POTS splitter, but still does require the installation of a
small filter device next to every POTS device (telephone, fax, or modem)
sharing the G. Lite line.
Different Types of DSL: ADSL - Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line
(ADSL) is the form of DSL that is most familiar to home and small business
users. ADSL is called "asymmetric" because most of its two-way bandwidth is
devoted to the downstream direction, which sends data to the user. Only a
small portion of bandwidth is available for upstreaming (for sending
user-interaction messages). Most Internet users, and especially those who
use graphics- or multi-media intensive Web data, need lots of downstream
bandwidth. For these applications, user requests and responses are small and
require little upstream bandwidth. Using ADSL, up to 8 Mbps of data can be
sent downstream and up to 640 Kbps are available for upstreaming. The high
downstream bandwidth means that your telephone line will be able to bring
motion video, audio, and 3-D images to your computer or hooked-in TV set.
And, more good news, a small portion of the downstream bandwidth can be
devoted to voice, rather than data, so you can make phone calls without
having to use another separate line.
Delivers simultaneously high-speed data and POTS voice service over the same
telephone line. Supports a range of speeds from 1.5 Mbps to 8 Mbps
downstream and 64 Kbps to 640 Kbps upstream.
CDSL - Consumer DSL (CDSL) is somewhat slower than ADSL (1 Mbps downstream),
but has the advantage that a "splitter" does not need to be installed.
G.Lite or DSL Lite - G.Lite (also known as DSL Lite, splitterless ADSL, and
Universal ADSL) is a slower ADSL that does not require splitting of the line
at the user end. G.Lite provides a data rate from 1.544 Mbps to 6 Mpbs
downstream, and from 128 Kbps to 384 Kbps upstream. In other words, it's
faster than CDSL. G.Lite is expected to become the most widely installed
form of DSL and the most sought after by home consumers.
Supports POTS. A variant of ADSL based on the G.Lite standard for 1.5 Mbps
downstream and 384 Kbps upstream. Intended for the mass market, including
consumers, small businesses and remote offices.
HDSL - High bit-rate DSL (HDSL) is used for wideband digital transmission
within a corporate site and between the telephone company and a customer.
The main thing about HDSL is that it is symmetrical (upstreaming and
downstreaming). For this reason, the maximum data rate is lower than for
ADSL. HDSL can carry huge amounts of data, as is the case for T1 lines in
North America. For this reason, it is the DSL service used for T1 lines.
Supports symmetric service at 1.54 Mbps, but does not support POTS. HDSL is
the DSL service already widely used for T1 lines. HDSL uses four wires (two
pairs) instead of the new standard two wires used for other DSL flavors. A
new version, HSDL-2, provides the same speed capabilities as HDSL, but uses
only a single wire pair.
IDSL - IDSL (ISDN DSL) is actually closer to Integrated Services Digital
Network (ISDN) (with data rates and service at 128 Kbps) than it is to the
much higher rates of ADSL. It offers an "always-on" alternative to ISDN
service and a data rate capacity of up to 144 Kbps.
Offers an always-on alternative to dial-up ISDN service with a capacity up
to144 Kbps.
RADSL - Rate-Adaptive DSL (RADSL) uses software to determine the rate at
which signals can be transmitted on a given customer phone line. It adjusts
the delivery rate accordingly. RADSL delivers from 640 Kbps to 2.2 Mbps
downstream and from 272 Kbps to 1.088 Mbps upstream over an existing line.
SDSL - Single-Line DSL (SDSL) supports symmetric service. It is the same as
HDSL with a single line carrying 1.544 Mbps each direction.
Supports symmetric (downstream and upstream) services at 160 Kbps to 2.3
Mbps. SDSL does not support POTS connections.
UDSL - Unidirectional DSL (UDSL) is in the proposal stage. It's a
unidirectional version of HDSL.
VDSL - Very High Data Rate DSL (VDSL) is a developing technology that
promises huge data delivery rates at very high speeds (between 51- 55 Mbps)
at very short distances (up to 1000 feet in length).
Supports up to 51 Mbps at very short distances. VDSL is the high-end member
of the DSL family.
x2/DSL - x2/DSL is a planned modem that will support 56 Kbps modem
communication. It is upgradeable, through new software installation, to ADSL
when it becomes available in the user's area.
DSL Facts: DSL is affected
by distance. The greater the distance between your installation and the
telephone company's Central Office (CO), the lower your speeds will be. In
other words, if your home or small business is close enough to the telephone
company's central office that offers DSL service, you can receive downstream
data rates at up to 1.5 Mbps. That means you can download files very fast,
much faster than you probably are now achieving with an ordinary 56K modem.
Picture it as a continuous, uninterrupted transmission of motion video,
audio, voice, and even multimedia 3-D effects. If you want to upload, your
speed will be a little less (speeds can range from 640Kbps to 1Mbps), but
still will be remarkably faster than when using a 56K modem.
A DSL line carries both data and voice signals on the same line. And the
data part of the line is always connected. So, you can speak on the phone
and use the Internet at the same time. Sometimes, a splitter is required.
It's predicted that DSL will replace Integrated Services Digital Network
(ISDN) in many areas in the near future. It will also replace or be a better
option than the cable modem currently available for bringing multimedia and
3-D effects to homes and small businesses.
Applications: Dedicated,
high speed Internet access enables many applications. These include the
capability to host email, web sites, web-based applications at your physical
business location. Applications such as these require a dedicated connection
with static IP addresses. Furthermore, applications such as ICQ or AOL chat
can always be on. These applications can add to you and your staff’s
productivity.
One of the flavors of Internet access is DSL. One of the chief productivity
benefits is the ability to rapidly transfer and download files, conduct
video conferencing and play streaming multi-media from remote Web Servers.
This applies to both home and business settings.
Installing DSL: Here's
some basic guidelines provided by the telephone company for installing DSL
at your home or business:
Central Office Availability. For you to use
DSL, it must be available from your telephone company central office (CO)
or a neighboring facility Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier or Competitive
Local Exchange Carrier (these are sometimes called ILECs or CLECs).
DSL Availability. DSL cannot travel more
than a distance of approximately three miles. If your office is more than
three miles away from your telephone company's central office, we may not
be able to provide DSL to you.
New Wiring. In most cases, DSL can travel
over the traditional copper wires already installed at your home or
business. In some cases, DSL may require a different jack and,
occasionally, new wiring. The telephone company can complete the wiring
for you, you can do it yourself, or you can hire an independent
contractor.
Splitter. Depending upon the type of DSL you
want, or the type of DSL available in your area, a splitter may be
required to be installed.
DSL Modem (DSL LAN) and an Ethernet Card. A
DSL Modem and an ethernet card are required for DSL installation. The
modem will be provided by your service provider. If your computer does not
already have an Ethernet card, the service provider will install one
externally.
Compatible Long Distance Carriers and ISPs.
If you want to make long distance voice and Data calls using DSL, you must
choose a Long Distance Carrier with lines capable of transmitting data at
DSL's top speed of 8Mbps. If you want to use DSL to download data (downstreaming)
or transmit data over the Internet (upstreaming), your Online or Internet
Service Provider must have a DSL interface capable of taking full
advantage of DSL's capacity. This may mean extra charges for you, so
contact your provider.
Back-up Power Supply. Unlike your analog
telephone line, your DSL line does not draw its current from your
telephone carrier central office and needs a separate power supply should
your power go out. An Uninterruptable Power Supply (like the ones used
with your PC's) can be used to maintain DSL communications during a power
failure. DSL uses regular (120v) current.
