[plug] adsl opinions & clarification & DSL300

[Ben Jensz]

Bret Busby wrote:

>Thanks for your clarification, Scott. I have sent to Scott, the 
>information that I was sent, in response to my query about ADSL, from 
>Concept Networks.
>
>I was wrong; the quoted maximum speed for Home Use, from Concept 
>Networks ADSL, was 256kb/s.
>
>At present, it all seems too complicated, and too expensive, for the 
>benefits(?) of ADSL. Especially when, given that we are using either a 
>33600 or a 56k bits/s modem (I am not sure which it is), the best 
>sustained data download rate that we can obtain, is 3kb/s. We can 
>sometimes get bursts of 4-5kb/s, but that is never sustained.
>
>As the phone line that we use for dialling up, is in an ADSL enabled 
>exchange, it is difficult to understand how upgrading to ADSL, would 
>give us any great advantage in download speeds. From what I understand, 
>the main advantage would be in saving phone call charges, for not 
>needing to make as many phone calls, although, from what I have seen 
>posted on this list about ADSL, dropouts appear to be (reasonably) 
>common, so that reconnecting (extra phone calls), appears to be 
>necessary each month.
>
>  
>
Umm... I think you've misunderstood the concept of ADSL there Bret.

ADSL shares the same line that you use for voice calls.  So with a line 
filter (~$19) you can be on ADSL and talking to someone on the phone 
simultaneously.

You don't "dial-up" as such on ADSL, its always on technology.  If 
you're on bridged with no auth, then its even more so always on, as 
there isn't even any authentication required.  So there are no charges 
that show up on your Telstra phone bill for ADSL (unless you go with 
Bigpond and have a combined phone/internet bill) as you don't dial-up or 
makes calls etc to be connected.

The lowest speed ADSL plan I've seen anyone offer is a 128kbit 
downstream / 64kbit upstream account.  Meaning you'd probably get I'd 
guess a 12-14k/sec sustained download speed (after overheads).  Now that 
is a considerable speed difference over 56kbit IMHO.  Personally I 
wouldn't recommend going anything less than a 256kbit / 64kbit plan. 
 I'm on 512kbit / 128kbit ADSL myself at home and get sustained 53k/sec 
download speeds, and at work on 1.5Mbit, sustained 157-158k/sec download 
speeds.

For an example of the latency, on dial-up the best I ever got to 
machines sitting at the other end of the phone line at the respective 
ISP was 100-110ms in the same town.  On ADSL, I get 40-50ms from Broome 
to the ADSL endpoint in Perth, which is approximately 2500kms in 
distance, which I reckon is pretty impressive :)


/ Ben