Telecommunications Design & Analysis
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July 1999
The growth of the Internet and the proliferation of powerful computers have created a demand for lower cost high-speed remote access to corporations and the Internet. High-speed services such as T-1 are affordable for large and mid-size organizations. But, teleworkers, small businesses and branch offices of large companies have been largely left out of the loop.
What about cable modems?
In general, cable modems are not available for commercial organizations. They are starting to be used for remote access for teleworkers.
What is DSL service?
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) service is a high-speed digital service that works on the same copper cabling used for voice. Bell Atlantic, Internet service providers and competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) sell it.
What type of DSL service does Bell Atlantic sell?
Bell Atlantic sells asymmetric DSL Lite (ADSL Lite). They call their offering Infospeed DSL.
What is ADSL Lite?
ADSL Lite has asymmetric, lower speeds from the user to the Internet than from the Internet to the user. The lite refers to an ADSL standard that does not require a splitter. (A splitter separates voice signals from data signals on cable that supports voice and data.) Not having a splitter makes ADSL easier to install. The telephone companies hope to install DSL service without dispatching a technician.
What are Bell Atlantic’s ADSL rates?
| Monthly cost |
Download from the Internet |
Upstream to the Internet or LAN |
| $39.95 | 640 Kbps* | 90 Kbps |
| $59.95 | 1.6 Mbps** | 90 Kbps |
| $109.95 | 7.1 Mbps | 640 Kbps |
Where is Infospeed DSL available?
It is available now in Cambridge and Brookline. Bell Atlantic previously committed to availability in half of the greater Boston area by the year 2000. For example, it is scheduled for Framingham by 9/10/99.
Service is only available at sites less than two miles from a Bell Atlantic central office. This includes about 85% of customers.
What equipment is needed for DSL?
A DSL modem and an Ethernet card are required. The service works with both MAC and Windows based computers. Some new computers come with DSL Lite modems preinstalled.
Presently Bell Atlantic’s DSL service works with only one computer per site. LAN connections at the originating site are not supported. However, a telecommuter with DSL can connect to a remote LAN.
What about home pages for Infospeed?
If customers have an Internet home page, the address for their home page will be www.bahomepageusername.com rather than www.username.com.
How is DSL different than ISDN?
Unlike ISDN, DSL is “always on”, no dialing is required and there are no usage charges. DSL provides faster Internet and LAN downloads.
What about DSL From other vendors?
Some Bell Atlantic competitors offer symmetric DSL (SDSL), the same speeds in both directions; LAN connectivity and home page service for the customer’s Internet domain name. My next newsletter will cover DSL offered by Bell Atlantic competitors.
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Annabel Dodd Consulting • 46 Woodmere Road • Framingham, MA 01701 • Voice 508-877-6089 • Fax 508-877-9475 • adodd@doddontheline.com