ADSL, or Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line, is the fast, dedicated Internet access that will connect individual homes and businesses to the Internet using existing phone lines. This is an update of the earlier information. First, lets review why ADSL is stirring up so much interest. Its upstream speed of up to 90 Kbps is also faster than 56 K dial-up modems, but not as fast as its downstream speed. This difference between downstream and upstream speeds gives ADSL the first word in its name - Asymmetric .
Most users are much more interested in the downstream speed of their access to the Internet.
As important as this increased speed is, ADSL's full-time, dedicated feature may prove to be an even more valued improvement. No dial-up means no busy signals, no dropped connections, no bad modem handshakes, etc. Web browsers and email programs will be ready to function with just a click of the mouse since users will not need to establish a dial-up phone connection first. In the past, few of us have been able to afford such a full-time dedicated line to the Internet. ADSL users must have regular telephone service, but they will no longer need a second phone line for accessing the Internet.