What does aDSL stand for?
Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. aDSL is a modem technology that transforms ordinary phone lines (also known as "twisted copper pairs") into high-speed digital lines for ultra-fast Internet access. aDSL also enables access to corporate networks for telecommuters, as well as exciting new interactive multimedia applications such as multiplayer gaming, video on demand and video catalogs.

How does aDSL work?
aDSL modems use digital coding techniques to squeeze up to 99% more capacity out of a phone line without interfering with your regular phone services. That means you could be simultaneously talking on the phone or sending a fax - while surfing the World Wide Web.

aDSL Benefits

• Low Cost, Unlimited, High Speed Data Access (Internet, Telecommuting, Branch OfficeLink,etc.)
• Does not affect existing voice features or Lifeline POTS
• Operates on an existing line—you can now disconnect your extra, separate data lines!
• aDSL is dedicated from the end user to the central office (CO) with a permanent virtual circuit (PVC) from the CO to the content provider. This provides a link as secure as a dialup connection.
• Provides a constant connection to the internet - no more busy signals and disconnections
• Avoids the publicly switched telephone network - unlike a slow, traditional dialup connection.

aDSL vs. Cable Modems
Cable Modems operate like a LAN environment. All users (up to 500) in a regional serving center will share the same cable pipe back to the regional cable hub office. The internet connection is located here. There have been numerous accounts of cable modem users gaining access to their neighbor’s PC’s remotely. Do you want to take this security risk?

Cable Modems are as reliable as your cable service. “Secret shopper” tests have shown cable modems sometimes down for multiple days. How many times has your cable service been interrupted by severe weather? Do you want to take this business risk?

Speed
Cable modems are advertised as offering up to 10Mbps of throughput. This is for downstream data speeds only and is shared by up to 500 users (nonuniformly). Upstream speeds are much slower, probably around 1.5Mbps to 768Kbps, again, shared by up to 500 users (non-uniformly). It becomes easy to hog bandwidth in the cable modem world, and the number of subscribers using the service in their immediate area limits the bandwidth for all users

Security
aDSL provides a dedicated connection from the customer’s premise to the Central Office. The connection is then passed through the Verizon Frame Relay network to Rapid Systems. Therefore, aDSL service from Verizon is as secure as a dialup connection.

Reliability
aDSL is extremely reliable. The local loop is as reliable as local phone service. Additionally, line disruptions only affect single users, while cable modem users are subject to multiple single points of failure. If cable service is disrupted at one point, all users in that serial connection are affected.