What is DSL?

DSL is high-speed Internet that is always connected. You don't have to dial up every time you want to go online.

These days, DSL (Digital Line Service) Internet is available pretty much everywhere. It didn't use to be that way.

When people first started getting on the Internet they used dial-up service. You actully plugged your computer into the phone line and called a number to connect to the Internet. It was slow. Plus, the trouble was, you couldn't make a phone call when you were logged in with your computer. Luckily the phone companies figured out that customers could actually use the phone to make a call while they were using the Internet using the same copper phone lines that already were coming into their house for their telephone. They could do this because the telephone and Internet signals come in at wavelengths. You probably will need to install a special filter on your telephone line to decrease the amount static generated by having the Internet connection on the same line.

There are two main types of DSL available:

There is ADSL, or Asymmetrical Digital Line Service Internet, which provides faster speed coming down from the web, to the user, that the speed going back up to the web, from the user. This is fine for most uses since people generally download more than the upload.

And there is SDSL or Symmetrical Digital Line Service Internet, which provides the same speed coming down as it does going up. Businesses mostly use this because they need it more for things like video conferencing and other uses that require a lot of uploads.

If you want to check if DSL is available in your zip code click here.