Internet DSL Speed Bandwidth Limits

DSL offers a variety of bandwidths depending on type and source distance.

Although the most common type of digital subscriber line (DSL) used in 2010 was called ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line), there have been several variations of the DSL broadband connection over the years, each with its own bandwidth limitations.

SDSL

Symmetric DSL was one of the earlier types, allowing for downstream speeds of between 256 kilobits per second and 1.544 Mbps (up to 2.048 Mbps in Europe). This is called "symmetrical," because upstream and downstream bandwidths are the same. This technology was largely abandoned in favor of the superior downstream speeds offered by ADSL.

ADSL

Asymmetrical DSL was (as of 2010) the most widely-used form. With downstream speeds of between 256 kpbs and 6.1 Mbps (with a theoretical limit of 8.448 Mbps for users within 9,000 feet of the DSL source), ADSL connections allow for high-bandwidth applications, such as Internet video, Voice-Over Internet Protocol phone service, and even 3D gaming.

VDSL

Very high data rate DSL is an up-and-coming technology which promises to deliver break-neck speeds over short distances, say, within a given neighborhood with its own backbone connection. Theoretical downstream speeds can reach as high as 55 Mbps at 1,000 feet, roughly the same as the transmission speed of an IEEE 802.11g wireless network.

References

• Techtarget: Fast Guide to DSL