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Support Center: ADSL

ADSL vs. Cable

ADSL and cable Internet are two types of broadband connections that are typically what many smaller to medium-sized business consider when choosing an ISP. When deciding which might suit your business needs, you’ll want to consider availability, speed, and reliability.

For more tips on finding a suitable Internet connection for your business, check out our post about things to consider when choosing an ISP.

ADSL
CABLE

Availability

ADSL connections are available in mainly urban areas—wherever you can get a phone line, you can typically get ADSL. You need to be within 22,000 feet from the phone company’s central office (CO) in order to receive this type of service.1
Availability for cable Internet is pretty straight forward: if you’re in a rural area, you likely won’t be able to get cable Internet, but in most cases where cable television is available, so is cable Internet.

Speed

ADSL’s downloading speeds range from 5 Mbps up to 50 Mbps in some areas, with upload speeds up to 1.0 Mbps. Latency is a bit better with ADSL than it is with cable, depending on the location of your business.1
Cable can provide businesses with speeds all the way from 10 Mbps to 100 Mbps down and and 1 to 5 Mbps up. Bandwidth is shared with other users in the area, so speeds can slow down during high-traffic, or peak times.1 

Reliability

An ADSL connection is what’s considered an “always-on” connection, meaning your device is always connected to the Internet as long as it’s on and the phone lines remain active and undamaged.1

It’s important to keep in mind that if your telephone line is accidentally cut by a service worker or is taken out of service due to extreme weather conditions, your Internet will go down. If your business demands internet that’s highly available you may consider an additional connection for your business for it would be ideal to have a backup option for Internet access. 2  Typical repair times are 24-48 hours depending upon the outage.

Cable Internet, like ADSL, provides an “always-on” connection: as long as your device is on and cable lines are active and in working order, you’re connected to the Internet.1

Having a backup service for Internet access would be a good idea for a cable connection as well as for ADSL. This is because cable lines, like telephone lines, can go down. Once that happens, your Internet connection will go down as well.1  Again, typical repair times are 24-48 hours depending upon the outage.

Cost

Monthly prices for ADSL services can range anywhere from $20 to $90, depending speed and length of contract. Since phone service is typically a requirement, you may endure additional charges for the phone line to be in working order.3 Be sure to ask if Stand Alone ADSL is available. Setup and installation fees may apply as well.
Cable connections are often bundled with phone and cable TV services, which allows you a good price for your cable Internet; the stand-alone option will cost more, most likely. Installation fees may also apply with this service, but overall, monthly fees can be anywhere between $60 and $300 per month.3 

ADSL vs. Fiber

ADSL and Fiber Internet connections are on two different playing fields. Each offer a myriad of advantages, but when you break it down and look at availability, speed, reliability and cost, you can really start to understand where each will or will not accommodate your business needs.

For more tips on finding a suitable Internet connection for your business, check out our post about things to consider when choosing an ISP.

ADSL
FIBER

Availability

ADSL connections are available in mainly urban areas—wherever you can get a phone line, you can typically get ADSL. You need to be within 22,000 feet from the phone company’s central office (CO) in order to receive this type of service because as you move farther away from the CO, the signal weakens and Internet speeds slow significantly.1
A fiber optic connection is available in limited areas–but that’s quickly changing due to the demand of faster speeds. Since fiber utilizes a completely different cable structure then ADSL, new cabling is required for service, therefore; it may be a while before it covers the same footprint as ADSL provides. Speed is not affected, however, by distance as is the case with ADSL.2

Speed

ADSL’s downloading speeds range from 5 Mbps and up to 50 Mbps in some areas, with upload speeds up to 1.0 Mbps. ADSL is an asymmetrical connection and can not offer the same upload and download speed.  Latency with ADSL usually ranges from 75 to 400 ms, depending on the location of your business.1
Speeds for a fiber optic connection are nothing short of impressive, ranging from 5 Mbps and 100 Gbps for downloads and uploads! Fiber is typically a symetrical connection so you’ll have the same upload and download speed. With an Internet connection like this, multiple users are able to download and upload, share files, and stream audio and video all at the same time with virtually no effect on performance.2 Latency is not typically an issue with fiber either.

Reliability

An ADSL connection is what’s considered an “always-on” connection, meaning your device is always connected to the Internet as long as it’s on and the phone lines remain active and undamaged.1

It’s important to keep in mind that if your telephone line is accidentally cut by a service worker or is taken out of service due to extreme weather conditions, your Internet will go down. If your business demands internet that’s highly available you may consider an additional connection for your business for it would be ideal to have a backup option for Internet access.2 Typical repair times are 24-48 hours depending upon the outage.

Of all of the Internet connections available, fiber is arguably the most reliable and the highest quality. Even in instances of power outages, it is far less likely than ADSL to be affected. In addition, fiber optic lines use glass as a conductor and therefore experience no interference from high-voltage electrical equipment or nearby power lines, unlike ADSL, which generates electricity.2  Typical repair times are 2-12 hours depending upon the outage.

Cost

Monthly prices for ADSL services can range anywhere from $20 to $90, depending on the speed you sign up for and the length of your contract, if there is one. Since phone service is necessary, you may endure additional charges for the phone line to be in working order, and installation fees may apply as well.3
The cost for fiber-optic is generally much higher than the cost of ADSL, ranging from $100 to $5,000+ a month. These prices can vary depending on your location, your desired speed and the terms of your service agreement. Installation fees and activation fees can occur but are typically waived with promotional offers or the signing of a 1-, 2-, or 3-year agreement.2

INTERNET TYPES: ADSL

ADSL:

ADSL stands for Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line and is a type of Internet connection that uses pre-existing copper phone lines to transmit data.

MORE words in our Internet Dictionary!

Standard DSL Setup

Typical DSL Installation

Here is an example of a typical DSL installation. To install please follow these few steps:

  1. Plug DSL filter splitter into the phone jack.
  2. Take your DSL modem and plug a phone cord into the port label “ADSL/DSL”
  3. Plug the other end of that phone cord into the “DSL” jack on the DSL filter.
  4. Take your ethernet cable and plug it into the “Ethernet/WAN” port on the modem
  5. Plug the other end into your computer
  6. Power on the the equipment

dsl typical setup

Installing DSL Filters

General Filter Information

If you’re experiencing static on your telephone line while you’re talking to someone on the phone and have DSL service through Tranquility then you probably need a DSL filter setup on your phone line. DSL filters come in all shapes and size but are all installed just about the same. Below you’ll see an example filter and how to properly install it.

Filter Installation

dsl filter install2

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