Broadband access is definitely the wave of the future for Internet users.
You can also talk on your phone and be on the Internet at the same time, so no more missing phone calls while you're surfing the Web. Also, since it's a direct connection, you won't get any more busy signals while trying to connect. DSL is far from cheap, though. You can use DSL with AOL, but only in limited areas. You can use AOL's software and service, AOL Plus, or go through a local DSL service provider.