Digital Subscriber Line offers a high-speed bandwidth connection from a phone wall jack on an existing telephone network. Talking about the working mechanism, DSL works within the ranging frequencies that the telephone doesn’t be able to use, so you can use the Internet while making phone calls.
Broadband services using digital subscriber lines (DSL) are very popular in the United States. Thousands of different Internet Service Providers offer DSL internet with networks that reach 90% of Americans.
How Does DSL Works?
Many local phone services provide DSL in the USA region, offering High-Speed Internet access delivered through existing telephone networks. Telephone wires carry hundreds of thousands of frequencies, and only a few of them are for telephone communications, so the telephone and DSL modem can work at the same time.
DSL runs on a completely different frequency than a voice phone call, often making it up to ten times faster than dial-up internet.
Features of DSL
- DSL is widely available because it is built on existing phone lines.
- It costs less than cable or fiber internet.
- It Covers 90% of the population in the USA region.
- With DSL services, each Internet subscriber has a dedicated circuit, just like phone service.
List of DSL Internet Providers
| Provider | User Rating | Max Download Speed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | 3.0/5 | 1,000 Mbps (1 Gbps) | View Plans |
| Buckeye Broadband | 2.5/5 | 1,000 Mbps (1 Gbps) | View Plans |
| CenturyLink | 2.5/5 | 24 Mbps | View Plans |
| Cox Communications | N/A | 75 Mbps | View Plans |
| DIRECTV | 2.5/5 | 1,000 Mbps (1 Gbps) | View Plans |
| Dish | 2.5/5 | 1,000 Mbps (1 Gbps) | View Plans |
| Fios by Verizon | N/A | 100 Mbps | View Plans |
| Frontier | N/A | 6 Mbps | View Plans |
| HughesNet | N/A | 25 Mbps | View Plans |
| MCTV | 2.5/5 | 10 Mbps | View Plans |
| Mediacom | N/A | 3 Mbps | View Plans |
| Optimum | N/A | 25 Mbps | View Plans |
| Shentel | N/A | 10 Mbps | View Plans |
| Sparklight | 2.5/5 | 1,000 Mbps (1 Gbps) | View Plans |
| Spectrum | 2.5/5 | 1,000 Mbps (1 Gbps) | View Plans |
| Suddenlink | NA | 1,000 Mbps (1 Gbps) | View Plans |
| Viasat | NA | 1,000 Mbps (1 Gbps) | View Plans |
| Verizon | NA | 1,000 Mbps (1 Gbps) | View Plans |
| WOW! | 3.5/5 | 1,000 Mbps (1 Gbps) | View Plans |
| Xfinity | 3/5 | 1,000 Mbps (1 Gbps) | View Plans |
Pros
Affordability – DSL broadband Internet service is generally more affordable than cable or fiber internet.
Availability – DSL is available in all 50 states with coverage of 90% of the population.
Cons
Speed Limitations – While DSL can be a good solution for some users, its speeds usually top out at about 50 Mbps, much slower than cable or fiber.
Upload speed – Upload speeds with DSL are usually very low, making it a poor option for playing video games online.