DSL Internet

What is DSL Internet?

DSL is an acronym that stands for Digital Subscriber Line. DSL is one of the broadband internet technologies used to provide high-speed internet connections over traditional phone lines provided by the local telephone company, and uses copper or fiber optic wire to connect you to the world wide web. With DSL internet, the signal used for internet service data is sent at a higher frequency than the signal used for telephone service. DSL can send data at a much faster speed than older dial-up internet services used over copper phone lines, so there isn’t as much waiting for files to finish downloading. DSL is much more suited for today’s internet users that are always streaming music, watching video and gaming online.

How DSL Internet Works:

DSL high speed internet service works by sending the information data signal over a telephone companies phone lines at a higher frequency than the voice data signals. Traditional home phone service doesn’t need to use all of the capacity on the telephone wires, so the extra bandwidth can be used for transmitting data, allowing you to use a the same phone line you use for voice service to connect to the internet. A DSL filter is installed on the telephone line to filter out the higher frequency data signals to get rid of the background noise that can accompany voice services. Although DSL broadband internet comes in over a phone companies copper phone line, you can often get standalone DSL internet access in your home with or without a home phone service. DSL without phone service is often referred to as no-dialtone DSL, naked DSL, or dry loop DSL. The availability DSL line without phone service attached may depend on who you have for a DSL provider, as well as your geographical location.

How Fast is DSL Internet?

The DSL speed available at your location can vary wildly due to the nature of DSL being distance limited. That is to say, the farther or more rural your home is from your local telephone company's equipment facilities, the slower the connection will be. Although DSL is distance sensitive, there are areas where DSL high speed internet service is quite fast. DSL download speeds commonly range anywhere from 256 Kbps to 100 Mbps. As technology improves, DSL speeds are getting faster and faster. DSL service capable of Gigabit (1Gbps) speed is now being deployed by some providers, but this technology isn’t available on a wide scale at this time.

DSL Internet Download Speed Examples:

Example Media & File Sizes

1.5 Mbps

8 Mbps

24 Mbps

50 Mbps

100 Mbps

3 Minute Song - 3 MB

18 Seconds

3 Seconds

1 Second

0.5 Seconds

0.2 Seconds

5 Minute Video - 30 MB

3 Minutes

30 Seconds

10 Seconds

5 Seconds

2 Seconds

8 Hour Audio Book 100 MB

10 Minutes

104 Seconds

34 Seconds

17 Seconds

8 Seconds

45 Minute TV Show - 200 MB

19 Minutes

209 Seconds

69 Seconds

35 Seconds

16 Seconds

1 Hour 30 Minute Movie - 1 GB

105 Minutes

18 Minutes

6 Minutes

3 Minutes

85 Seconds

1 Hour 30 Minute HD Movie - 4 GB

7 Hours

71 Minutes

24 Minutes

12 Minutes

5 Minutes

Quick Guide to Common Types of Consumer DSL Internet:

This guide lets you compare the most commonly used types of DSL, as well as their associated speed capabilities:

ADSL Internet

ADSL - Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line is commonly used as a blanket term for multiple types of ADSL services in the DSL family. The first ADSL standards could reach download speeds of up to 8Mbps. The "A" in ADSL stands for asymmetrical, meaning the download speeds bringing data to your computer are faster than the upload speeds sending data from your computer, back to the world wide web.

ADSL2 Internet

ADSL2 - Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line 2 is a newer standard of ADSL that allows for download speeds up to 12Mbps.

ADSL2+ Internet

ADSL2+ - Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line 2 Plus is a new and improved version of ADSL2, capable of download speeds up to 24Mbps. ADSL2+ can also be bonded, a process where copper pairs are added and provisioned, doubling maximum download speeds to 48Mbps.

VDSL Internet

VDSL - Very-High-Bit-Rate Digital Subscriber Line provides download speeds of 52Mbps, while greatly improving upload bandwidth up to 16Mbps. This upload speed improvement allows VDSL to support VoIP technologies and HD video streaming services much more efficiently than previous ADSL types.

VDSL2 Internet

VDSL2 - Very-High-Bit-Rate Digital Subscriber Line 2 improved upon original VDSL specifications, allowing for DSL speeds of 300Mbps down, and 100Mbps up.

G.fast Internet

G.fast - is a new ADSL standard designed to deliver download speeds up to 1Gbps at under 100 meters (330ft.), and 100Mbps over distances up to 500 meters (1640ft.).

Quick Guide to DSL Internet VS. Other Types of Internet Service:

This guide lets you compare DSL internet versus other types of broadband internet service. Figuring out which service is faster, or "better" depends on the type of service being considered, as well as the company offering the service. Different companies offering the same type of service (DSL, Cable, Fiber, etc.) can vary wildly in speed and reliablility. Keep this in mind when considering which internet service is best for your household as it's not just the technology type that's important when choosing which internet connection is right for you. This DSL internet comparison guide is based on the technology behind the type of internet service being compared, not individual providers offering DSL internet service.

DSL Internet VS. Other Internet Types Comparison Guide

DSL Internet VS. Cable Internet

DSL Internet VS. Cable Internet - Cable typically wins over DSL due to faster overall speeds and a similar price, but DSL is often available in rural areas where cable internet is unavailable.

DSL Internet VS. Fiber Internet

DSL Internet VS. Fiber Internet - Fiber internet typicall wins over DSL when it comes to connection speed. In some cases you may be able to get service close to fiber optic gigabit speeds over DSL, making DSL a good alternative to fiber internet for people residing within a few hundred meters of a central office housing DSL equipment.

DSL Internet VS. Mobile Internet

DSL Internet VS. Mobile Internet - DSL internet wins over mobile internet due to limited speeds and datacaps commonly found with mobile internet subscriptions.

DSL Internet VS. Satellite Internet

DSL Internet VS. Satellite Internet - DSL internet wins over satellite internet due to datacaps, latency, and speed limitations of satellite internet.

DSL Internet VS. Wireless Internet

DSL Internet VS. Wireless Internet - DSL internet wins over fixed wireless internet due to cost and potential intermittent connection issues due to inclement weather.

DSL Internet Pros & Cons:

Positives and negatives when choosing DSL internet service

DSL Internet Pros

DSL Internet Cons

+ DSL internet is oftentimes inexpensive on the lower speed tier plans, frequently making it the lowest cost broadband option available to budget concious households.

− DSL Internet service is usually only available to residential users in asymmetric speeds, meaning the upload speed of your connection is often much slower than the download speed.

+ DSL internet uses the existing telephone line to your home, making it more widely available than newer, but not yet widely adopted network technologies.

− DSL Internet is distance limited, which can cause slower speeds and performance loss for people who live farther from the central office that houses DSL equipment.

+ DSL internet speeds are typically faster than mobile, satellite, and wireless internet. This makes DSL a great choice for households that stream videos or use other bandwidth heavy applications online.

− DSL internet runs through copper telephone lines, making it more sensitive to electromagnetic interference and attenuation. This type of signal degredation can lead to a weak or reduced connection quality and reliability.

+ DSL internet provides a direct connection to the internet over your phone line, unlike cable internet which is a shared connection. DSL internet is generally considered less susceptible to slower peak-time speeds and potential security issues inherent with shared networks like cable.

− DSL internet providers sometimes insist you subscribe to telephone service as well as internet, or alternatively pay an additional fee for internet only service. This type of DSL connection is often referred to as no dialtone DSL or naked DSL.

DSL Internet Requirements:

Connecting to the internet via DSL requires a DSL modem and an active subscription to a DSL connection provider. Customers can use the phone and internet connection at the same time over the same line. A DSL filter is installed on the telephone line to filter out the higher frequency data signals to get rid of the background noise that can accompany traditional landline telephone service when both signals come in over the same line. You'll need a network interface card (NIC) or a wireless card in your computer to hook it up to the DSL providers modem.

DSL Internet Questions & Answers:

Question: Is DSL internet available in my area?

Answer: - First, you need to find out if DSL internet access is available in your zip code. Once you narrow down which DSL internet providers offer service in your area, you can check availability at your address to see if it's serviceable for DSL internet.

Question: What is the typical monthly cost of DSL internet?

Answer: - DSL internet plans typically cost between $20-$70 per month. How much DSL internet costs per month varies based on your geographical location, how many competitor internet providers are in your area, and which speed you choose when you order DSL internet service.

Question: What DSL internet speed do I need?

Answer: - Figuring out what speed of DSL internet service is right for your household depends on how many people will be connecting to the service, as well as what applications and uses you typically perform when connected to the internet. If you have multiple users streaming videos and gaming, then you would need a faster speed to accommodate that sort of bandwidth use versus a household that simply uses the internet to read email or social media.

Question: How fast is DSL internet service?

Answer: - DSL internet speeds range from 256Kbps up to 1Gbps (Gigabit). DSL internet speeds vary based on the technology and infrastructure being used by each individual DSL company. One of the negatives to DSL is it's severe distance limitations, which greatly inpacts available speeds. The farther the distance is from the DSL modem to the DSL providers central office that houses their networking equipment, the slower the resulting connection speed; i.e., a customer 3 miles away could expect a maximum DSL connection speed of only 1.5Mbps download, and 200Kbps upload.

Question: What is a DSL modem and DSL filter?

Answer: - A DSL modem is a networking device that connects your computer/router to the phone line and recieves and sends data in the form of tones and frequency signals. A DSL filter does exactly as the name implies as it filters and blocks frequencies that would interfere with the the DSL connection, while still allowing for the phone line to be simultaneously used for voice calls.

DSL Companies Providing High-Speed Internet:

3 Rivers Communications	702 Communications
Absaraka Cooperative Telephone Co., Inc.	ACD.net
ACI	ACS Communications
ACT	Adams Telephone Co-Operative
AdamsWells Telecom	AG Communications
Alaska Communications	Alaska Power & Telephone
Albany Mutual Telephone Association	Albion Telephone Company, Inc.
All West Communications, Inc.	Alteva
Amherst Telephone Company	Ardmore Telephone Company
Arkansas Telephone Co.	Armstrong
AT&T	Atkins Telephone Company, Inc.
Axiom Technologies	Ayrshire Farmers Mutual Telephone Company
Beehive Telephone Co., Inc.	Ben Lomand; Volunteer First Services, LLC
Bergen Telephone Company	Bevcomm
Big Bend Telephone Company	BIT COMMUNICATIONS
Blackfoot Telephone Cooperative, Inc.	Bledsoe Telephone Cooperative
Blue Valley Tele-Communications, Inc.	Brandenburg Telephone Company
Brazos Internet	Butler-Bremer Communications
Cameron Communications	Campti Pleasant Hill Telephone Company
Cap Rock Telephone Cooperative	CASSCOMM
CentraCom	Central Oklahoma Telephone Co. LLC
Central Texas Telephone Cooperative, Inc.	CenturyLink®
Chapin Telephone Company	Chickamauga Telephone Corporation
Chickasaw Telephone Company	Cimarron Telephone Company
Cincinnati Bell	Citizens
Citizens Cablevision, Inc	Clara City Telephone Company
Coalfields Telephone Company, Inc.	Coleman County Telephone Cooperative
Colorado Valley Communications, Inc.	Communications 1 Network, Inc.
Comporium Communications	Comteck of Indiana, Inc.
Consolidated Telco, Inc.	Consolidated Telecom
Coon Valley Cooperative Telephone	Craw-Kan Telephone Cooperative, Inc.
CT Communications, Inc.	CTC Telcom
Cyber Mesa Telecom	D&P Cable, Incorporated
Delhi Telephone	Direct Communications
DTC Communications	DTE
Duo County Telephone Cooperative, Inc.	EarthLink
East Buchanan Telephone Cooperative	Eastern Slope Rural Telephone Association,...
Eastex Telephone Cooperative, Inc.	Egyptian Telephone Cooperative
Empire Telephone Corp.	EONI.com
ETC Communications LLC	Etex dot net
F&B Communications, Inc.	FairPoint Communications
Farmers Mutual Telephone Cooperative	Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative, Inc.
Farmers Telecommunications Corporation	Farmers Telephone Company
Farmers Telephone Cooperative	Federated Telephone Cooperative
First Step Internet	Fishers Island Telephone Corp
Flint River Communications	Fort Randall Telephone Company
Franklin Telephone Co. Inc.	Frontier
Fulton Telephone Company, Inc	Garden Valley Telephone Company
Gardonville Telephone	GBT Communications
GCI Communication Corp.	Geneseo Telephone Company
Glenwood Telephone	Glenwood Telephone Company
Golden West Telecommunications Cooperative,...	Grand River Mutual Telephone Corp.
Granite State Telephone	Great Plains Communications, Inc.
Green Hills Telephone ILEC	Green Mountain Access
Gridley Telephone Co.	Griggs County Telephone Company
Griswold Cooperative Telephone Company	GTel Teleconnections
Guadalupe Valley Telephone Cooperative	GWI
Hamilton County Telephone Coop	Hamilton Telephone Company
Hancock Communications, Inc.	Hargray
Harrisonville Telephone Company	Haviland Telephone Company, Inc.
Hawaiian Telcom	Haxtun
Heart of Iowa Communications Cooperative	Heartland Cable, Inc.
Highland Telephone Cooperative	Hill Country Telephone Cooperative, Inc.
Hilliary Communications	Hinton Telephone Company
Home Communications, Inc.	Home Telecom
HTC	Humboldt Telephone Company
IAMO Telephone Company, Inc.	Inland Telephone Company
Inter-Community Telephone Company	Interstate Telecommunications Cooperative,...
Ironton Telephone Co	jamadots
James Valley Telecommunications	JAS Networks
JBN Telephone Company, Inc.	KanOkla Networks
Keystone Communications	KTIS
La Harpe Video & Data Services Company,...	Lackawaxen Telephone Co
LHTC Broadband	Lincoln County Telephone System
Lincolnville Telephone Company	LOGAN TELEPHONE COOPERATIVE, INC.
Long Lines	Lonsdale Telephone Company, Inc.
Lost Nation - Elwood Telephone Company	Madison County Telephone Company, Inc.
Margaretville Telephone	Mark Twain Rural Telephone Company
Marne & Elk Horn Telephone Company	Matanuska Telephone Association, Inc.
MCTC	MDTC Communications, Inc.
MGW NETWORKS LLC	Michigan Broadband Services
Mid Century Telephone Cooperative	Mid-Plains Rural Telephone Cooperative, Inc.
Mid-Rivers Telephone Cooperative, Inc.	MidIowa Net
Midstate Communications	Miller Telephone Company
Minnesota Valley Telephone Company	Montrose Mutual Telephone Company
Mosaic Telecom	Mountain Telephone
Mt. Rushmore Telephone Company	MTCO
MTE Communications	NATCO
Nebraska Central Telephone Co.	Nebraska Technology & Telecommunications
Nelson Telephone Cooperative	Nemont Telephone Cooperative, Inc.
NEW HOPE TELEPHONE COOPERATIVE	NextGen Broadband
Nortex Communications	North Central Communications
North Dakota Telephone Company	North Penn
Northeast Missouri Rural Telephone Company	Northeast Nebraska Telephone Company
Northwest Communications Cooperative, Inc.	Norvado
Nuvera	NVC
Ogden Telephone Company	Oklatel Communications, Inc.
Omnitel Communications	OmniTel Communications
Oneida Telephone Exchange	OneSource Communications
Oregon Telephone Corporation	Otelco Inc.
Ozark Telephone Company	Palmerton Telephone Co
Panhandle Telephone Cooperative, Inc.	Partner Communications Cooperative
Paul Bunyan Telephone	PEMTEL
Peoples Telephone Cooperative, Inc.	Pine Telephone Systems, Inc.
Pioneer Communications	Pioneer Communications Company
Pioneer Telephone Cooperative	Pioneer Wireless, Inc.
Plains Cooperative Telephone Association,...	Plant Telephone Company
Plateau	Plateau Telecommunications, Inc.
Poka Lambro Telephone Cooperative	Polar Communications Mutual Aid Corporation
Ponderosa Telephone Company	Premier Communications
Project Mutual Telephone Cooperative...	PRT Communications
PRTC	PSC
PVT Networks	Pymatuning Indep. Tel. Company
QCOL	Rainbow Communications
Ralls Technologies	Range Telephone Cooperative, Inc.
Red River Rural Telephone Association	Reliance Connects
Relyant Communications	Ritter Communications
River Valley Telecommunications Coop	Roberts County Telephone Coop. Assn
Rockwell Coop Telephone Association	Ronan Telephone Company
RTC Communications	Rural Telephone Company
S&A Telephone Company, Inc.	S&T Telephone Coop Assoc Inc
Sacred Heart Telephone Company	Sacred Wind Communications, Inc.
Salina Spavinaw Telephone Co., Inc.	SANDWICH ISLES
Santa Rosa Telephone Cooperative, Inc.	Santel Communications Cooperative
Schaller Telephone Company	SCTelcom
Shawnee Telephone Company	Shentel
Silver Star Communications	Smart City
SOUTH CENTRAL RURAL TELEPHONE	South Central Utah Telephone Association Inc
South Plains Telephone Cooperative	South Slope Cooperative Communications
Southeast Nebraska Telephone Company	Southeastern IN Rural Telephone
Southern Kansas Telephone Company, Inc.	Southwest Arkansas Telephone Cooperative, Inc
Southwest Texas Telephone Company	SRT Communications, Inc.
Star Communications	Star Telephone Membership Corporation
Starbuck Telephone Company	State Telephone
Steelville Telephone Exchange, Inc.	Strata Networks
Stratford Mutual Telephone Company	Sunman Telecommunications Corporation
Sunrise Communications, LLC	T.V. Service
Table Top Telephone Company	Taylor Telephone Cooperative, Inc.
TEC	TelAlaska, Inc.
Tele-Media Solutions	Telephone Service Company
Thacker-Grigsby Telephone	The Middleburgh Telephone Company
The Pottawatomie Telephone Company, Inc.	The Tri-County Telephone Association
Three River Telco	Titonka-Burt Communications
TOAST.net	Totah Communications, Inc.
Totelcom Communications, LLC	Tri-County Communications Cooperative
Triangle Communications	TrioTel Communications, Inc.
TriParish	TruVista
TSC	Tularosa Communications, Inc.
Turtle Mountain Communications	Twin Valley Telephone, Inc.
Union Wireless	United Communications
United Communications Association	up.net
Valley Telecom Group	Valley Telecommunications
Valley Telephone Cooperative, Inc.	Van Buren Telephone Company, Inc.
Varcomm	Vermont Telephone Company
Vernon Telephone Cooperative, Inc.	Visionary Communications, Inc.
Wabash Independent Networks, Inc.	Wabash Mutual Telephone Company
Wahkiakum West Television, Inc.	Waldron Telephone Company
Walnut Hill Telephone Co	Wamego Telecommunications Company, Inc.
Waverly Hall Telephone, LLC	Wes-Tex Telephone Cooperative, Inc.
West Carolina Rural Telephone Cooperative,...	West Plains Telecommunications, Inc.
West River Cooperative Telephone Company	West River Telecommunications Cooperative
West Side Telecommunications	Westel Systems
Western Iowa Networks	Western Iowa Telephone
Westphalia Telephone	Wheat State Telephone, Inc.
Whidbey Telecom	Wiggins Telephone
Wikstrom Telephone Company	Wilson Telephone Company, Inc.
Windstream	Winn Telecom
Winn Telephone	Winnebago Cooperative Telecom Association
Wittenberg Cable TV Company	WNM Communications
WT Services, Inc.	WTC Communications, Inc.
Xchange Telecom	XIT Communications
Yadtel	Yelcot Telephone Company
Yeoman Telephone Company Inc.	YHTI - Your Home Town Internet
Yucca Telecom	Yukon Telephone Co, Inc.
Zumbrota Telephone Company

How to Find DSL Internet in Your Zip Code:

When you need to get access to high speed internet, you don’t want to have to jump through hoops; you just want to find the best DSL internet provider in your zip code at the best price available. Internetbyzip.com helps you find high speed internet DSL plans available in your area. You can search our extensive DSL provider database and check DSL availability in your zip code at the click of a button, just by typing in your zip code, and hitting search! You'll then get a list of all the DSL internet providers in your area, allowing you to go through the list and compare internet packages and internet speeds to see which features are most important to you. Things to compare when considering high speed DSL internet plans are unlimited data (data caps), number of email accounts provided, download and upload speeds, prices, added fees like installation, DSL modem/router equipment, and whether or not WiFi is included. Once you compare the DSL internet connections available, you'll easily be able to determine which internet service provider is right for you.

DSL Internet Terms & Definitions

ADSL

ADSL or Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line is a type of high speed internet connectivity commonly called DSL. ADSL is asymmetric, meaning that the download speeds are greater than the upload speeds. A typical example ADSL line might have download speeds up to 6 Mbps per second, with upload speeds of 768 Kbps per second. DSL technology and equipment allow high-speed communication across normal twisted pair copper wiring provided by the telephone company. ADSL is distance limited, meaning that the farther the distance from the equipment, the slower the available speed or available bandwidth.
ADSL lite

ADSL lite is also called universal ADSL, Splitterless DSL, or G.lite DSL. This version of ADSL does not typically require professional installation as it splits the data line remotely at the telephone company or virtually via software, instead of at the end user's home or business. ADSL lite provides a data rate from 1.544 Mbps to 6 Mpbs downstream and from 128 Kbps to 512 Kbps upstream. ADSL lite is the most widely installed form of DSL in the United States.
Bandwidth

Bandwidth is typically defined as the maximum potential data that can be transferred within a given time. Bandwidth is usually measured in bits per second (bps). This can be expressed as: Kilobits per second (kbps), Megabits per second (Mbps), or Gigabits per second (Gbps).
Bitrate

Bitrate or BPS (bits per second) is a common measurement of bits transmitted or received per second. The higher the BPS, the faster the transmission speed of the data connection.
Broadband

The term broadband refers to high speed internet access that is faster and more reliable than traditional dial-up internet access. DSL, cable, fiber optic, wireless internet and even satellite are exmples of broadband internet transmission technologies.
Central office

Central Office or CO is a telecommunications term used to refer to the physical location of the local telephone company's building where home and business subscriber lines are connected to the rest of the network. In the case of internet access, the central office switching equipment such as a DSLAM or similar device receives data transmission from a customer's location. It then threads that data to the Internet over the telephone companies' or third party networks.
Connection speed

The term connection speed in the telecom industry typically refers to the speed at which data is transferred between your computer and the internet or network it's connected to. There are two types of connection speeds;download speed, which means the rate data is transferred from the internet to your computer; and upload speed which means the rate data is transferred from your computer to the internet.
Download

Download typically refers to copying files from the internet or another computer onto your computer, hard drive, or mobile device.
DSL

DSL - (Digital Subsciber Line) DSL is a broadband technology that sends high speed data transmissions over standard copper telephone wiring. DSL generally (often called xDSL) refers to a group of similar, yet differing, technologies that telephone and internet access companies use to offer consumers and businesses data services over phone lines. These specific xDSL technologies are the most common still in use: ADSL Lite, ADSL, HDSL, IDSL, RADSL, SDSL, and VDSL.
DSL filter

a DSL filter is a device that filters interference between analog devices on traditional land line telephone systems and digital subscriber line (DSL) services. DSL filters prevent signals from analog equipment such as telephones from impeding performance or causing connectivity problems.
Dynamic IP

Dynamic IP address refers to a temporary form of addressing when connecting to the internet. Having a Dynamic IP address means that each time you connect to the internet, your IP address will differ from what it was previously. When your computer connects to the internet, it's assigned an IP address from a pool of available addresses. When you disconnect from the internet or power down your computer, the dynamic IP address is returned to the dynamic IP address pool. Having a dynamic IP address means that each time your modem or computer connects to the internet, it will automatically be assigned any available IP address from the pool.
Ethernet

Ethernet has become the standard method for connecting computers and equipment in a single location, i.e., a home or business. Ethernet is a "multipoint data communication system with collision detection". Not only does an ethernet connect all the devices, but also allows all of the devices to communicate at once. Most computers and laptops have ethernet connections built into their motherboard, allowing your computer to connect to a router or hub that connects to the internet or network(s).
HDSL

High Bitrate Digital Suibscriber Line, initially released in 1994, is one of the earliest xDSL technologies that provided a symmetrical connection offering the same upload and download speeds. HDSL was the first xDSL protocol that used a higher frequency spectrum over typical copper twisted pair wiring, reaching speeds of up to 2.048Mbps.
IDSL

IDSL, also commonly called ISDN Digital Subscriber Line uses existing copper telephone wires to deliver connection speeds of up to 144Kbps over much greater distances than all other forms of Digital Subscriber Line technology.
Internet

The Internet is a worldwide system of computer networks - a network of networks in which users at any one computer can, if they have permission, get information from any other computer (and sometimes talk directly to users). The Internet is a public, cooperative, and self-sustaining facility accessible to hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Physically, the Internet uses a portion of the total resources of the currently existing public telecommunication networks.
ISP

ISP is the acronym for internet service provider. Any organization that offers access to the internet.
Kbps

Kilobits per second. 1 Kbps = 1024 bits per second.
Mbps

Megabits per second. 1 Mbps = 1024 Kbps.
Modem

modem is short for modulator/demodulator. A device that connects your computer to the Internet, over a phone line. Modems work at different speeds; the faster the speed, the faster that information flows to (and from) your computer. Although you can access the Internet with a modem of any speed, it is desirable to go as fast as possible. A modem's speed is measured in bits per second, or bps.
RADSL

RADSL, also commonly referred to as Rate Adaptive Digital Subscriber Line. As the name implies, RADSL allows rate adaptation while the connection is in use. The rate adaptation feature in RADSL allows for more tolerance and line noise that can commonly cause connection interferance and interruption.
SDSL

SDSL is also known as Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line, which refers to the symmetrical speeds of both the download and upload of the connection. SDSL can offer speeds up to 1.54Mbps per twisted copper pair, and in some cases copper pairs may be bonded, to reach even faster symmetrical speeds over SDSL.
Static IP

Static IP, or static IP address is an unchanging address everytime you connect to the internet. A static IP address enables a server to host a website or other type of server connection (for example, an email server), since other Internet users and hosts will always know the identity of the hosting computer and will be able to connect to it. If you think of an IP address like a parking space on the web, then a static IP is like having a parking space with your name on it, everyone knows it's your static, unchanging space.
Upload

Upload, or uploading is sending a file or data from one computer to another.
VDSL

VDSL, also known as Very High Bitrate Digital Subscriber Line can provide connection download speeds up to 55Mbps over a very short distance from the central office.