A. It is a service provided by the Telephone Company or an Internet Service Provider that allows the customer to connect to the Internet at speeds greater than 56 kbps.

Q. Do I need a second line for DSL?

A. In most cases, you will only need one telephone line for DSL. Your DSL connection will allow you to talk and surf the web at the same time without the need for a second line. [SDSL most likely will require a second line, ADSL in most cases will not.]

Q. Do I need special equipment to use DSL? (This should be customized for the way that particular company is deploying DSL.)

A. Yes, there are two different ways that ADSL may be provisioned – with and without a splitter. In both cases you will need to have a DSL modem and an Ethernet Network Interface Card (or USB port) in your computer. If you have a splitter-less connection, then you will need filters for every telephone that you have in your home. If you have a splitter connection, then you will need to have the telephone company install a splitter in your home.

Q. Which connection is better: splitter or splitter-less?

A. Each has its own advantages. The splitter is less flexible if you want to move your computer around, but then filters are not needed for each telephone. When a splitter is used, the splitter device is put where the company’s lines connect to the customer’s inside wire (protector or NID). Then, new inside wire is run from the splitter to where the computer is located. If a splitter-less configuration is used, then all the customer must do is to place a filter between the wall jack and each telephone in use. You may need a splitter for full rate ADSL. This could provide up to 6M bps of speed vs. Glite DSL that only provides 1.5M bps. This depends upon the company’s way of provisioning.

Q. Can I connect more than one computer to my DSL line?

A. Yes, but you will need extra equipment. The most common way to add a second computer to your DSL connection is to purchase a router. The router is placed between your computers and the DSL modem and acts to govern the connections for both computers. Both computers plug into the router using Cat 5 wiring. Companies will have to determine if they will support the router – some are and some are not.

Q. Am I guaranteed that my speeds will be faster?

A. Internet speed to a web site is determined by several factors: Loop speed, ISP speed, Internet backbone speeds and the actual website. With DSL the telephone company is increasing the loop speed to the customer. However, the ISP, Internet backbone or website may not be able to operate at the highest speed allowed all the time. Therefore, depending upon the number of users on the Internet, your connection speeds will vary; however, you will find that your connection speeds will be significantly faster than dial-up speeds.

Q. What is the difference between DSL and Cable modems?

A. DSL is a direct connection from your computer to the Internet Service Provider. There is no shared connection. Therefore, it is a completely secure connection. In order for someone to see your e-mails or what you are doing on the Internet, they would have to hack into your Internet Server. This is not the case with cable modems. They are a shared connection. Because it is a shared connection, the loop speed is shared between all your neighbors on the network. If there are many users at one time the loop speed can be significantly reduced even before it reaches the ISP, Internet backbone or website.

Q. Can all customers get DSL?

A. DSL service is generally restricted to those customers who live within approximately 18,000 feet of the telephone company’s central office switch. Because of the technological limitations on DSL, any customer living beyond 18,000 feet may not have access to DSL service. There are also some instances where loops under 18,000 feet may not be capable of DSL due to interference from other equipment installed on the cable.

Q. What do the upload and download speeds mean?

A. When you upload, you are sending information to the Internet. An example is when you type in a web page address and then hit “enter”. You have uploaded information. Download is what you receive, such as a web page full of words and graphics. Because we usually send much less information to the Internet than we receive, we don’t need as much upload speed as we do download speed.

Q. Can I still keep my current Internet Service Provider?

A. Your Internet provider must contract with either the telephone company or some other DSL loop provider to have the capability of offering DSL. Otherwise, you will have to switch to an Internet Service Provider that does offer DSL. (CSRs should have a list of ISP’s that do contract for DSL.)

Q. If I have to switch to a new Internet Service Provider to get DSL, must I cancel my existing dial-up Internet service?

A. Many Internet Service Providers allow you to connect without dialing into them using their dial-up connections. You will have to check with them to see. CSRs should notify the customer that if they retain their existing ISP they will have to pay for the ISP associated with DSL as well as the existing ISP. The existing ISP may charge less if all the customer wants to retain is e-mail.

Q. Will I have to change my e-mail addresses?

A. If you do retain an account with your existing dial-up ISP and access your e-mail via some other means, then you will not have to change your email address. However, if you cancel service with your existing ISP you will most likely have to change your email address.