DSL Internet

Find DSL Internet Service Plans In Your Zip Code

What is DSL Internet?

DSL is an acronym that stands for Digital Subscriber Line. DSL is one of the broadband internet technologies used to provide high-speed internet connections over traditional phone lines provided by the local telephone company, and uses copper or fiber optic wire to connect you to the world wide web. With DSL internet, the signal used for internet service data is sent at a higher frequency than the signal used for telephone service. DSL can send data at a much faster speed than older dial-up internet services used over copper phone lines, so there isn’t as much waiting for files to finish downloading. DSL is much more suited for today’s internet users that are always streaming music, watching video and gaming online.

How DSL Internet Works:

DSL high speed internet service works by sending the information data signal over a telephone companies phone lines at a higher frequency than the voice data signals. Traditional home phone service doesn’t need to use all of the capacity on the telephone wires, so the extra bandwidth can be used for transmitting data, allowing you to use a the same phone line you use for voice service to connect to the internet. A DSL filter is installed on the telephone line to filter out the higher frequency data signals to get rid of the background noise that can accompany voice services. Although DSL broadband internet comes in over a phone companies copper phone line, you can often get standalone DSL internet access in your home with or without a home phone service. DSL without phone service is often referred to as no-dialtone DSL, naked DSL, or dry loop DSL. The availability DSL line without phone service attached may depend on who you have for a DSL provider, as well as your geographical location.

How Fast is DSL Internet?

The DSL speed available at your location can vary wildly due to the nature of DSL being distance limited. That is to say, the farther or more rural your home is from your local telephone company's equipment facilities, the slower the connection will be. Although DSL is distance sensitive, there are areas where DSL high speed internet service is quite fast. DSL download speeds commonly range anywhere from 256 Kbps to 100 Mbps. As technology improves, DSL speeds are getting faster and faster. DSL service capable of Gigabit (1Gbps) speed is now being deployed by some providers, but this technology isn’t available on a wide scale at this time.

DSL Internet Download Speed Examples:

Example Media & File Sizes
1.5 Mbps
8 Mbps
24 Mbps
50 Mbps
100 Mbps
3 Minute Song - 3 MB
18 Seconds
3 Seconds
1 Second
0.5 Seconds
0.2 Seconds
5 Minute Video - 30 MB
3 Minutes
30 Seconds
10 Seconds
5 Seconds
2 Seconds
8 Hour Audio Book 100 MB
10 Minutes
104 Seconds
34 Seconds
17 Seconds
8 Seconds
45 Minute TV Show - 200 MB
19 Minutes
209 Seconds
69 Seconds
35 Seconds
16 Seconds
1 Hour 30 Minute Movie - 1 GB
105 Minutes
18 Minutes
6 Minutes
3 Minutes
85 Seconds
1 Hour 30 Minute HD Movie - 4 GB
7 Hours
71 Minutes
24 Minutes
12 Minutes
5 Minutes

Quick Guide to Common Types of Consumer DSL Internet:

This guide lets you compare the most commonly used types of DSL, as well as their associated speed capabilities:

ADSL - Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line is commonly used as a blanket term for multiple types of ADSL services in the DSL family. The first ADSL standards could reach download speeds of up to 8Mbps. The "A" in ADSL stands for asymmetrical, meaning the download speeds bringing data to your computer are faster than the upload speeds sending data from your computer, back to the world wide web.
ADSL2 - Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line 2 is a newer standard of ADSL that allows for download speeds up to 12Mbps.
ADSL2+ - Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line 2 Plus is a new and improved version of ADSL2, capable of download speeds up to 24Mbps. ADSL2+ can also be bonded, a process where copper pairs are added and provisioned, doubling maximum download speeds to 48Mbps.
VDSL - Very-High-Bit-Rate Digital Subscriber Line provides download speeds of 52Mbps, while greatly improving upload bandwidth up to 16Mbps. This upload speed improvement allows VDSL to support VoIP technologies and HD video streaming services much more efficiently than previous ADSL types.
VDSL2 - Very-High-Bit-Rate Digital Subscriber Line 2 improved upon original VDSL specifications, allowing for DSL speeds of 300Mbps down, and 100Mbps up.
G.fast - is a new ADSL standard designed to deliver download speeds up to 1Gbps at under 100 meters (330ft.), and 100Mbps over distances up to 500 meters (1640ft.).

Quick Guide to DSL Internet VS. Other Types of Internet Service:

This guide lets you compare DSL internet versus other types of broadband internet service. Figuring out which service is faster, or "better" depends on the type of service being considered, as well as the company offering the service. Different companies offering the same type of service (DSL, Cable, Fiber, etc.) can vary wildly in speed and reliablility. Keep this in mind when considering which internet service is best for your household as it's not just the technology type that's important when choosing which internet connection is right for you. This DSL internet comparison guide is based on the technology behind the type of internet service being compared, not individual providers offering DSL internet service.

DSL Internet VS. Other Internet Types Comparison Guide
DSL Internet VS. Cable Internet - Cable typically wins over DSL due to faster overall speeds and a similar price, but DSL is often available in rural areas where cable internet is unavailable.
DSL Internet VS. Fiber Internet - Fiber internet typicall wins over DSL when it comes to connection speed. In some cases you may be able to get service close to fiber optic gigabit speeds over DSL, making DSL a good alternative to fiber internet for people residing within a few hundred meters of a central office housing DSL equipment.
DSL Internet VS. Mobile Internet - DSL internet wins over mobile internet due to limited speeds and datacaps commonly found with mobile internet subscriptions.
DSL Internet VS. Satellite Internet - DSL internet wins over satellite internet due to datacaps, latency, and speed limitations of satellite internet.
DSL Internet VS. Wireless Internet - DSL internet wins over fixed wireless internet due to cost and potential intermittent connection issues due to inclement weather.

DSL Internet Pros & Cons:

Positives and negatives when choosing DSL internet service

DSL Internet Pros

DSL Internet Cons

+ DSL internet is oftentimes inexpensive on the lower speed tier plans, frequently making it the lowest cost broadband option available to budget concious households.
DSL Internet service is usually only available to residential users in asymmetric speeds, meaning the upload speed of your connection is often much slower than the download speed.
+ DSL internet uses the existing telephone line to your home, making it more widely available than newer, but not yet widely adopted network technologies.
DSL Internet is distance limited, which can cause slower speeds and performance loss for people who live farther from the central office that houses DSL equipment.
+ DSL internet speeds are typically faster than mobile, satellite, and wireless internet. This makes DSL a great choice for households that stream videos or use other bandwidth heavy applications online.
DSL internet runs through copper telephone lines, making it more sensitive to electromagnetic interference and attenuation. This type of signal degredation can lead to a weak or reduced connection quality and reliability.
+ DSL internet provides a direct connection to the internet over your phone line, unlike cable internet which is a shared connection. DSL internet is generally considered less susceptible to slower peak-time speeds and potential security issues inherent with shared networks like cable.
DSL internet providers sometimes insist you subscribe to telephone service as well as internet, or alternatively pay an additional fee for internet only service. This type of DSL connection is often referred to as no dialtone DSL or naked DSL.

DSL Internet Requirements:

Connecting to the internet via DSL requires a DSL modem and an active subscription to a DSL connection provider. Customers can use the phone and internet connection at the same time over the same line. A DSL filter is installed on the telephone line to filter out the higher frequency data signals to get rid of the background noise that can accompany traditional landline telephone service when both signals come in over the same line. You'll need a network interface card (NIC) or a wireless card in your computer to hook it up to the DSL providers modem.

DSL Internet Questions & Answers:

Answer: - First, you need to find out if DSL internet access is available in your zip code. Once you narrow down which DSL internet providers offer service in your area, you can check availability at your address to see if it's serviceable for DSL internet.
Answer: - DSL internet plans typically cost between $20-$70 per month. How much DSL internet costs per month varies based on your geographical location, how many competitor internet providers are in your area, and which speed you choose when you order DSL internet service.
Answer: - Figuring out what speed of DSL internet service is right for your household depends on how many people will be connecting to the service, as well as what applications and uses you typically perform when connected to the internet. If you have multiple users streaming videos and gaming, then you would need a faster speed to accommodate that sort of bandwidth use versus a household that simply uses the internet to read email or social media.
Answer: - DSL internet speeds range from 256Kbps up to 1Gbps (Gigabit). DSL internet speeds vary based on the technology and infrastructure being used by each individual DSL company. One of the negatives to DSL is it's severe distance limitations, which greatly inpacts available speeds. The farther the distance is from the DSL modem to the DSL providers central office that houses their networking equipment, the slower the resulting connection speed; i.e., a customer 3 miles away could expect a maximum DSL connection speed of only 1.5Mbps download, and 200Kbps upload.

Answer: - A DSL modem is a networking device that connects your computer/router to the phone line and recieves and sends data in the form of tones and frequency signals. A DSL filter does exactly as the name implies as it filters and blocks frequencies that would interfere with the the DSL connection, while still allowing for the phone line to be simultaneously used for voice calls.

DSL Companies Providing High-Speed Internet:

3 Rivers Communications
702 Communications
Absaraka Cooperative Telephone Co., Inc.
ACD.net
ACI
ACS Communications
ACT
Adams Telephone Co-Operative
AdamsWells Telecom
AG Communications
Alaska Communications
Alaska Power & Telephone
Albany Mutual Telephone Association
Albion Telephone Company, Inc.
All West Communications, Inc.
Alteva
Amherst Telephone Company
Ardmore Telephone Company
Arkansas Telephone Co.
Armstrong
AT&T
Atkins Telephone Company, Inc.
Axiom Technologies
Ayrshire Farmers Mutual Telephone Company
Beehive Telephone Co., Inc.
Ben Lomand; Volunteer First Services, LLC
Bergen Telephone Company
Bevcomm
Big Bend Telephone Company
BIT COMMUNICATIONS
Blackfoot Telephone Cooperative, Inc.
Bledsoe Telephone Cooperative
Blue Valley Tele-Communications, Inc.
Brandenburg Telephone Company
Brazos Internet
Butler-Bremer Communications
Cameron Communications
Campti Pleasant Hill Telephone Company
Cap Rock Telephone Cooperative
CASSCOMM
CentraCom
Central Oklahoma Telephone Co. LLC
Central Texas Telephone Cooperative, Inc.
CenturyLink®
Chapin Telephone Company
Chickamauga Telephone Corporation
Chickasaw Telephone Company
Cimarron Telephone Company
Cincinnati Bell
Citizens
Citizens Cablevision, Inc
Clara City Telephone Company
Coalfields Telephone Company, Inc.
Coleman County Telephone Cooperative
Colorado Valley Communications, Inc.
Communications 1 Network, Inc.
Comporium Communications
Comteck of Indiana, Inc.
Consolidated Telco, Inc.
Consolidated Telecom
Coon Valley Cooperative Telephone
Craw-Kan Telephone Cooperative, Inc.
CT Communications, Inc.
CTC Telcom
Cyber Mesa Telecom
D&P Cable, Incorporated
Delhi Telephone
Direct Communications
DTC Communications
DTE
Duo County Telephone Cooperative, Inc.
EarthLink
East Buchanan Telephone Cooperative
Eastern Slope Rural Telephone Association,...
Eastex Telephone Cooperative, Inc.
Egyptian Telephone Cooperative
Empire Telephone Corp.
EONI.com
ETC Communications LLC
Etex dot net
F&B Communications, Inc.
FairPoint Communications
Farmers Mutual Telephone Cooperative
Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative, Inc.
Farmers Telecommunications Corporation
Farmers Telephone Company
Farmers Telephone Cooperative
Federated Telephone Cooperative
First Step Internet
Fishers Island Telephone Corp
Flint River Communications
Fort Randall Telephone Company
Franklin Telephone Co. Inc.
Frontier
Fulton Telephone Company, Inc
Garden Valley Telephone Company
Gardonville Telephone
GBT Communications
GCI Communication Corp.
Geneseo Telephone Company
Glenwood Telephone
Glenwood Telephone Company
Golden West Telecommunications Cooperative,...
Grand River Mutual Telephone Corp.
Granite State Telephone
Great Plains Communications, Inc.
Green Hills Telephone ILEC
Green Mountain Access
Gridley Telephone Co.
Griggs County Telephone Company
Griswold Cooperative Telephone Company
GTel Teleconnections
Guadalupe Valley Telephone Cooperative
GWI
Hamilton County Telephone Coop
Hamilton Telephone Company
Hancock Communications, Inc.
Hargray
Harrisonville Telephone Company
Haviland Telephone Company, Inc.
Hawaiian Telcom
Haxtun
Heart of Iowa Communications Cooperative
Heartland Cable, Inc.
Highland Telephone Cooperative
Hill Country Telephone Cooperative, Inc.
Hilliary Communications
Hinton Telephone Company
Home Communications, Inc.
Home Telecom
HTC
Humboldt Telephone Company
IAMO Telephone Company, Inc.
Inland Telephone Company
Inter-Community Telephone Company
Interstate Telecommunications Cooperative,...
Ironton Telephone Co
jamadots
James Valley Telecommunications
JAS Networks
JBN Telephone Company, Inc.
KanOkla Networks
Keystone Communications
KTIS
La Harpe Video & Data Services Company,...
Lackawaxen Telephone Co
LHTC Broadband
Lincoln County Telephone System
Lincolnville Telephone Company
LOGAN TELEPHONE COOPERATIVE, INC.
Long Lines
Lonsdale Telephone Company, Inc.
Lost Nation - Elwood Telephone Company
Madison County Telephone Company, Inc.
Margaretville Telephone
Mark Twain Rural Telephone Company
Marne & Elk Horn Telephone Company
Matanuska Telephone Association, Inc.
MCTC
MDTC Communications, Inc.
MGW NETWORKS LLC
Michigan Broadband Services
Mid Century Telephone Cooperative
Mid-Plains Rural Telephone Cooperative, Inc.
Mid-Rivers Telephone Cooperative, Inc.
MidIowa Net
Midstate Communications
Miller Telephone Company
Minnesota Valley Telephone Company
Montrose Mutual Telephone Company
Mosaic Telecom
Mountain Telephone
Mt. Rushmore Telephone Company
MTCO
MTE Communications
NATCO
Nebraska Central Telephone Co.
Nebraska Technology & Telecommunications
Nelson Telephone Cooperative
Nemont Telephone Cooperative, Inc.
NEW HOPE TELEPHONE COOPERATIVE
NextGen Broadband
Nortex Communications
North Central Communications
North Dakota Telephone Company
North Penn
Northeast Missouri Rural Telephone Company
Northeast Nebraska Telephone Company
Northwest Communications Cooperative, Inc.
Norvado
Nuvera
NVC
Ogden Telephone Company
Oklatel Communications, Inc.
Omnitel Communications
OmniTel Communications
Oneida Telephone Exchange
OneSource Communications
Oregon Telephone Corporation
Otelco Inc.
Ozark Telephone Company
Palmerton Telephone Co
Panhandle Telephone Cooperative, Inc.
Partner Communications Cooperative
Paul Bunyan Telephone
PEMTEL
Peoples Telephone Cooperative, Inc.
Pine Telephone Systems, Inc.
Pioneer Communications
Pioneer Communications Company
Pioneer Telephone Cooperative
Pioneer Wireless, Inc.
Plains Cooperative Telephone Association,...
Plant Telephone Company
Plateau
Plateau Telecommunications, Inc.
Poka Lambro Telephone Cooperative
Polar Communications Mutual Aid Corporation
Ponderosa Telephone Company
Premier Communications
Project Mutual Telephone Cooperative...
PRT Communications
PRTC
PSC
PVT Networks
Pymatuning Indep. Tel. Company
QCOL
Rainbow Communications
Ralls Technologies
Range Telephone Cooperative, Inc.
Red River Rural Telephone Association
Reliance Connects
Relyant Communications
Ritter Communications
River Valley Telecommunications Coop
Roberts County Telephone Coop. Assn
Rockwell Coop Telephone Association
Ronan Telephone Company
RTC Communications
Rural Telephone Company
S&A Telephone Company, Inc.
S&T Telephone Coop Assoc Inc
Sacred Heart Telephone Company
Sacred Wind Communications, Inc.
Salina Spavinaw Telephone Co., Inc.
SANDWICH ISLES
Santa Rosa Telephone Cooperative, Inc.
Santel Communications Cooperative
Schaller Telephone Company
SCTelcom
Shawnee Telephone Company
Shentel
Silver Star Communications
Smart City
SOUTH CENTRAL RURAL TELEPHONE
South Central Utah Telephone Association Inc
South Plains Telephone Cooperative
South Slope Cooperative Communications
Southeast Nebraska Telephone Company
Southeastern IN Rural Telephone
Southern Kansas Telephone Company, Inc.
Southwest Arkansas Telephone Cooperative, Inc
Southwest Texas Telephone Company
SRT Communications, Inc.
Star Communications
Star Telephone Membership Corporation
Starbuck Telephone Company
State Telephone
Steelville Telephone Exchange, Inc.
Strata Networks
Stratford Mutual Telephone Company
Sunman Telecommunications Corporation
Sunrise Communications, LLC
T.V. Service
Table Top Telephone Company
Taylor Telephone Cooperative, Inc.
TEC
TelAlaska, Inc.
Tele-Media Solutions
Telephone Service Company
Thacker-Grigsby Telephone
The Middleburgh Telephone Company
The Pottawatomie Telephone Company, Inc.
The Tri-County Telephone Association
Three River Telco
Titonka-Burt Communications
TOAST.net
Totah Communications, Inc.
Totelcom Communications, LLC
Tri-County Communications Cooperative
Triangle Communications
TrioTel Communications, Inc.
TriParish
TruVista
TSC
Tularosa Communications, Inc.
Turtle Mountain Communications
Twin Valley Telephone, Inc.
Union Wireless
United Communications
United Communications Association
up.net
Valley Telecom Group
Valley Telecommunications
Valley Telephone Cooperative, Inc.
Van Buren Telephone Company, Inc.
Varcomm
Vermont Telephone Company
Vernon Telephone Cooperative, Inc.
Visionary Communications, Inc.
Wabash Independent Networks, Inc.
Wabash Mutual Telephone Company
Wahkiakum West Television, Inc.
Waldron Telephone Company
Walnut Hill Telephone Co
Wamego Telecommunications Company, Inc.
Waverly Hall Telephone, LLC
Wes-Tex Telephone Cooperative, Inc.
West Carolina Rural Telephone Cooperative,...
West Plains Telecommunications, Inc.
West River Cooperative Telephone Company
West River Telecommunications Cooperative
West Side Telecommunications
Westel Systems
Western Iowa Networks
Western Iowa Telephone
Westphalia Telephone
Wheat State Telephone, Inc.
Whidbey Telecom
Wiggins Telephone
Wikstrom Telephone Company
Wilson Telephone Company, Inc.
Windstream
Winn Telecom
Winn Telephone
Winnebago Cooperative Telecom Association
Wittenberg Cable TV Company
WNM Communications
WT Services, Inc.
WTC Communications, Inc.
Xchange Telecom
XIT Communications
Yadtel
Yelcot Telephone Company
Yeoman Telephone Company Inc.
YHTI - Your Home Town Internet
Yucca Telecom
Yukon Telephone Co, Inc.
Zumbrota Telephone Company