ADSL Frequently Asked Questions for RingTelco.com
Q: What is ADSL?
A: ADSL stands for Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. Asymmetric means differing speeds between uploading and downloading. For example, your download speed could be 640 kilobits per second (kb/s) and your upload speed might be 512 kb/s.
Q: I had a second phone line with my dial-up, do I need it for ADSL?
A: No, with the filters we install, your regular telephone service and ADSL service can coexist on the same phone line.
Q: What is the maximum speed I can get with ADSL?
A: Most of our modems will handle a maximum of 1,536 kb/s (1.5 Mb/s) download speed (equivalent to a T1 line) and a maximum of 512 kb/s upload speed. Some of our modems can even handle more than this.
Q: I live in the countryside, can I get ADSL?
A: Yes, you can. Anyone with a Ringsted telephone number can have ADSL.
Q: What type of modem is used for ADSL?
A: We provide several types and have access to more kinds of modems to fit your needs. Our main providers are Creative/Broadxent, 3com, and Westell. Our modems are all external and use either a USB or Ethernet interface.
Q: How does ADSL compare to my previous analog modem speed?
A: At its base speed, ADSL is about 5 times as fast as a 56k modem at its maximum. Other common ADSL speeds are 384 kb/s and 512 kb/s, which would be 7 and 10 times as fast, respectively.
Q: Since ADSL is asymmetric, will it be noticeable that it has differing upload and download speeds?
A: Actually, our ADSL service doesn't become asymmetric until you have download speeds exceeding 512 kb/s. All our upload/download speeds from 256 kb/s to 512 kb/s are actually symmetric. And since it will run at such high speeds before becoming truly asymmetric, you won't notice much of a difference.