DSL Broadband

DSL Broadband works over existing phone lines, freeing the phone line for regular phone calls while surfing the net.

When comparing DSL to dial-up, which also works over existing phone lines, DSL is typically about 50 times faster than a dial-up Internet service.

Also, in comparison to dial-up, the phone line is freed to regular phone calls. This means that if you already have a second line for Internet surfing, DSL makes it possible to cancel that line.

Dial-up is connected to the Internet when the call is made to the service provider's server. In comparison, DSL is always connected to the Internet, 24/7.

In comparison to cable Internet technology, the Internet bandwidth you use is all yours. Cable, meanwhile, shares that bandwidth with other users.

When there are more people using the same line to the Internet, the connection to all the sharers slows down.

That's why it's rare to achieve the advertised maximum speeds for cable Internet in actual use.

DSL Broadband Companies

In comparison to cable Internet, DSL has about 1/3 of cable Internet's subscribers.

This translates to over 11 million subscribers. Globally, there are over 78 million DSL users.

The nine biggest DSL companies in the U.S. are (end of 2Q04):

• 1. SBC (4.3 million subscribers)
• 2. Verizon (2.9 million subscribers)
• 3. Bell South (1.7 million subscribers)
• 4. Qwest (0.8 million subscribers)
• 5. Covad (0.5 million subscribers)
• 6. Sprint (0.4 million subscribers)
• 7. ALLTEL (0.2 million subscribers)
• 8. Cincinnati Bell (0.1 million subscribers)
• 9. CenturyTel (0.1 million subscribers)

These top companies represent about 95% of all subscribers.


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