Desktop

Ask something
Discussion Locked

ADSL vs SDSL

0 helpful
10 replies

by ccjonathan

Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.

Hello,

I've been asked by my supervisors to change our internet connection (currently ADSL 1.5M down / 384K up consumer class) to something better suited to our new needs and with a different providor.

I've been looking at several business class solutions, however, all are offering SDSL at just 384K.

The goal is to host our own email and web servers in addition to providing internet access to 25 users.

The SDSL vendors seem adamant that SDSL is superior to ADSL for our needs, however, I'm a little uninformed with regards to how 384Kbps up on SDSL differs from 384Kbps up on ADSL. And certainly the difference between 1.5Mbps down and 384Kbps down significant when you've got 25 users downloading files daily.

Can anybody shed some light on why I would want to pay significantly more for what seems to be less when you compare raw numbers?

Thanks!

10 replies

by oz_media

Try contacting a Business class ISP with a reputation for high end security and services. Night and Day compared to Comsumer class DSL.
There is a Canadian company I would recommend, even if you're not in Canada, these guys have ALL the answers Straight-Up!!
http://www.sohoskyway.net

Why wouldn't you entertaion the idea of Point to Point T-1? What is the goal you are trying to achieve? If it is just stability and security, use a business class ISP.
Good luck, but check SOHOSkyway !!

by ccjonathan

I appreciate the suggestion, but I have been on the phone with several providers, and was hoping for a less "sales oriented" opinion. I'll definetely check out SOHOSkyway. Thanks for answering!

by sgt_shultz

you need a piece of paper with your needs down on it. you gotta get a handle on your up/down bandwidth requirement. how many users hitting at once? how many files and how big? now? next year? 3 years out? your best guess. i think it is a good question about what is the difference if you pay for 384k up on either adsl or sdsl. i would ask telco (not isp) person. keep asking for a supervisor until you get answer you understand. knock on service door of your local central office. if dsl vendors can't answer that question, seems like that tells us something...
from my reading, the biggest difference is the how fast up each technology can *potentially* go. sdsl can go very much faster up than adsl before hits limits of equipment. hence, you need to know what your requirements are. current and potential bandwidth needs. if adsl can meet them, then a matter of guaranteed up time etc etc. what they gonna do for you if it goes down etc etc.

by ccjonathan

Well, the main problem I'm having is that every ISP seems to be able to provide to us 384Kbps at maximum... except, of course, the telephone company (who owns the lines) who can provide more speed. The unfortunate aspect of all of this, and herein lies my problem, is that my supervisors have a severe grudge against the phone company here and don't want their service.

by justanadmin

ADSL and SDSL have many things in common, but there are at least a couple of big differences.

1. Speed. 384k up is the same, regardless of ADSL or SDSL. Generally however, if you want to pay more, most SDSL providers will give you the option of going up to 1.5M up and down. ADSL providers usually limit their upstream to something much lower (384 being one of the most common).

2. Probably the biggest difference between ADSL and SDSL comes in the form of a Service Level Agreement (known as an SLA). In most cases, ADSL is not considered as a "business level" service, whereas SDSL is. When you get to business class service, the provider should give you an SLA that will guarantee a certain speed and overall level of service. With ADSL, what you get is what you get...no guarantees. All of this will obviously vary by provider, sometimes you have to be at a certain price level before they give you an SLA.

Hope this helps a little. Good luck!

by timwalsh

Here are the issues as I see them:

With ADSL, you are capped at 384K upload. The 1.5M download is usually listed as "up to", which means it CAN be variable. This would probably be the way to go if all you were worried about is user access to the Internet.

You need to decide if the PRIMARY reason for the DSL connection will be for user access to the Internet, or customer access to your website??

Yes, 384K upload via ADSL is the same as 384K upload via SDSL. However, don't forget thatyour upload speed is also your customer's download speed from your Website. What audience/user-base size do you foresee for your website? Will it be an information-only website or have downloadable content? Will the website be a means of generating new business? Will the website be graphics intensive? Unless this will be a non-graphics intensive, information only website with a small audience/user-base, you really don't want to shoot yourself in the foot by throttling access speed to your website. Don't forget that poor website performance can be just as bad for a companies reputation as bad website content.

This is where the scaleability of SDSL comes in. You can scale your upload speed (customer download speed) up to 1.5M. A 1.5M SDSL line is still (usually) a lot less expensive than a 1.5M dedicated T-1 line.

Hope this helps.

by oz_media

I know that you don't want to be SOLD an opinion, this is why I recommend SOHOSkyway, they are only local so if you are outside of BC you will just get the goods. These guys aren't concerned aboput signing everyone up the way Telcos and most ISP's aer, in fact in many cases they will recommend competitors if your company doesn't fit their desired requirements.
I work for a major phone company and YES I HATE TELCOS TOO!! But these guys offer Business class DSL and ADSL so it is easier to compare. To run your OWN site and email, SDLS is the only guaranteed way to get constant bandwidth without fluctuation.

by oz_media

There seems to be a lot of focus on LOAD speed of your pages. Only a poory built site loads slow.
Even the busiest sites and portals use properly built pages as opposed to more bandwidth, you have to keep in mind that even though YOU have bandwidth many of your potential customers won't.
I still have many visitors to my company's site that have 56K or SLOWER connections!
Avoid using big FLASH pages, and uncompressed graphics. You web designer should be competent enough to build pages thatsatisfy any connection.
If it is a corporate site (as ours is) FLASH and BS makes visitors run screaming. Decent copy will eliminate the need for glitz and a properly positioned page (not just a heap of METAs) will be more efective.
At 12,000 visitors per day, 384 has been ample for us.

by thechas

You need to find more options.

384K up-link will not do it for your needs.

At a fixed 384K, the SDSL connection will not be any better than your existing ADSL connection.
The only advantage of the SDSL connection is that you are more apt to have the full 384K dedicated to your line. With residential grade ADSL, the provider can limit your available bandwidth as they need to balance the traffic load.

If web hosting is a critical part of your needs, make sure that this is part of ANY discussions with potential providers.
You also need to determine what the minimum acceptable bandwidth for the web hosting will be.
If your site will include sales, keep in mind that if the page loads too slow, you will loose customers.

Many providers do NOT allow you to host your own site regardless of the connection speed.

You may even need to look at T1 or IDSN to be able to adequately support your web sites.

Chas

This discussion is closed to new replies.