DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) is a broadband technology for businesses and residences that uses telephone copper lines. Assuming that your location is close enough to a telephone company Central Office (CO) that offers DSL service, an individual connection can provide from 144 Kbps to 7.1 Mbps downstream and from 128Kbps to 768Kbps upstream. xDSL refers to the general category of DSL services and represents the different variations of DSL, such as ADSL and SDSL. A DSL line is continuously connected so is sometimes called an "always on" technology. DSL technologies are also referred to as "last mile" technologies because they are used only for connections from a telephone Central Office to an individual location, not between CO's.

Traditional phone service connects your location to a telephone company Central Office over copper wires. Voice is transmitted on these wires by using a natural analog signal and converting it into an electrical equivalent in terms of volume (signal amplitude) and pitch (frequency of wave change). Analog transmission uses a small portion of the available bandwidth of a copper wire. DSL takes advantage of this unused bandwidth (or frequencies) on existing phone lines.  The ability of computers to receive information on these frequencies is constrained in that the telephone company "flags" information that arrives to the CO as digital, not analog data. The equipment "assumes" that the data arriving needs to be changed into analog form before sending it on to the receiving computer. That's why your computer has to have a modem for data transfer - it demodulates the analog signal sent and translates it to the string of 0 and 1 values that is the digital data that your computer can understand. In other words, the required change from digital to analog and back to digital phone slows down transmission speed.

DSL however, is a telephone company technology that assumes digital data does not require a change back into analog form. Digital data is transmitted from and to your computer directly as digital data and this allows the phone company to use more of the available bandwidth or frequency for transmitting it.

Business DSL

Our Internet Business DSL Service guarantees Quality of Service. It's a claim that very few DSL competitors can make. It's Quality of Service that delivers performance for critical business applications - a different DSL.

Residential DSL

Our Residential DSL offers fast, quality DSL service for residential users as well, but without the guarantees that typical businesses need. Two speed selections are available and features included with the service are firewall protection and a dynamic IP address.

Customer Support

One other important consideration in selecting a DSL provider is customer support. Pound Communications technical support staff is experienced and helpful in installation, troubleshooting and answering questions.

ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) is a transport technology that utilizes a fixed-size cell structure to carry different data types. Think of standardized freight containers used to transport freight. Because the containers are standard sizes, the transfer of the container from carrier to carrier - from a boat, to a train to a truck for example - can be done all using the same container. Similarly, ATM technology allows the network to recognize standard container sizes in which the data is carried and is able to transmit it quickly from network to network, all in the same container. This requires fewer resources from the switching equipment and enables non-coordinated data transmission between devices - all of which delivers speedier transmissions. Not all DSL providers utilize this advanced ATM technology.

CIR guarantees a percentage of throughput by specifying the level of data traffic (in bits) which is to be transmitted over a period of time-not at every instant of time, but averaged over a period. The CIR can be anywhere between 0%-100% at the speed of the access line and the speed of the port of the device (typically a router) to which you connect. CIR means data will be transmitted as network traffic allows. 100% CIR means data will be transmitted as "priority delivery", possibly by passing lower CIR transmissions.

Not normally. Some installations and facilities require an additional line. Most do not.

CPE or DSL Equipment is Customer Premise Equipment and is the hardware provided by the customer and is necessary to enable a DSL connection. It includes:

1. An Ethernet Interface, also called Network Interface Card (NIC), is needed for each computer or computer network that will connect to the CPE. A NIC can be purchased from most computer/electronics stores.


2. To insure performance, specific customer premise equipment is required. It is leased with the fee included in your monthly service. For residential DSL, equipment must be purchased.
   Click here to request more information.

ADSL

Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line is "asymmetric" because most of its two-way or duplex bandwidth is devoted to the downstream direction, sending data to the user. Only a small portion of bandwidth is available for upstream or user-interaction messages. ADSL is a good choice for companies or residential users who use the Internet to browse for research and shopping because much more information in downloaded to your computer than is uploaded from your computer to the Internet.

Unlike broadband service over your cable TV line, using ADSL, you won't be competing for bandwidth with neighbors in your area. In many cases, your existing telephone lines will work with ADSL. In some areas, they may need upgrading.

SDSL

Symmetrical Digital Subscriber Line is "symmetric" because its bandwidth is equally shared in the upstream and downstream direction. This is a good choice for companies or residential users that upload as much information to the Internet as they download.

Unlike broadband service over your cable TV line, using SDSL, you won't be competing for bandwidth with neighbors in your area. In many cases, your existing telephone lines will work with SDSL. In some areas, they may need upgrading.

DSL speeds generally range from 768 Kbps downstream/128 Kbps upstream to 7.1 Mbps downstream/768 Kbps upstream. However, DSL is a distance-sensitive technology - the farther away the customer's location is from the telephone Central Office that services it, the slower the DSL speed is. Here are the estimated speeds based on distance from a Central Office:

ADSL Expected Speeds
192 Kbps / 128 Kbps - up to 27K ft *** (3.4 miles)
384 Kbps / 128 Kbps - up to 22K ft *** (2.8 miles)
768 Kbps / 384 Kbps - up to 22K ft *** (2.4 miles)
1.9 Kbps/ 850 Kbps - up to 18K ft *** (2.1 miles)
4.0 Mbps / 900 Kbps - up to14K ft *** (2.0 miles)
7.5 Mbps / 1 Mbps - up to 11K ft *** (1.8 miles)

SDSL Expected Speeds
192 Kbps up and downstream - up to 18K ft *** (3.4 miles)
384 Kbps up and downstream - up to 18K ft *** (3.4 miles)
768 Kbps up and downstream - up to 18K ft *** (2.5 miles)
1.2 Mbps up and downstream - up to 16K ft *** (2.1 miles)
2.3 Mbps up and downstream - up to 10K ft *** (1.7 miles)

***from Central Office

DSL is available in many parts of Pound Communications service area. But because not all telephone company Central Offices are equipped to provide DSL service, it is not available everywhere. In order to provide accurate information about availability, we need to know the area code and telephone number of the location needing DSL service.

Contact us for information on availability.

No

Connections are installed on average in approximately 7 calendar days from the time of order. Each installation is unique however, and site specific factors may cause installation to exceed 7 days.

There are 2 parts to the installation:

1. The telephone company checks the line and confirms the distance and availability of DSL service for the line. Usually, access to the inside of your house is not needed for part one of the installation.


2. The DSL modem is installed by the customer. This is a simple installation requiring the customer to attach two cables plus plug the unit into a power outlet.