Adama Science and Technology University

Department of
Electronics and Communication Engineering

Telecommunication Networks and Switching

(ECE5306)

Chapter Five
Digital Subscriber Line Technologies
 Introduction to Digital Subscriber Line Technologies
Outline
 Introduction
 Types of DSL
 Brief Review of ADSL
 ADSL Speed Factors
 ADSL Network Components
 ADSL Loop Architecture
 Advantages and Disadvantages of ADSL
 DSL vs Cable Modem

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Introduction to DSL Technology

 DSL technology provides high-speed, broadband network

connections to homes and small businesses.
 DSL utilizes the same cabling used for normal telephones, but
it can offer higher data rates through use of the digital modem
technology.
 DSL modems comprise the heart of this technology and the
lines themselves are actually just plain telephone lines.
 It's possible for DSL subscribers to share the same line for
their digital and analog traffic  play web + receive a call.
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Introduction to DSL Technology Cont’d…….

The basic features of the DSL technology include:

i. Speed
 DSL offers more than 100 times the network performance
of a traditional analog modem.
 the precise speed of a connection depends on the variety of
xDSL deployed.
 DSL is a distance-sensitive technology.
 DSL works on the unused (high) frequencies of the
telephone line.
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Introduction to DSL Technology Cont’d…….

 DSL modems contain an internal signal splitter that carries

voice signals on the usual low frequencies (from 0 up to
4kHz) and data signals above that.
 This splitter, consequently, allows simultaneous access to
the line by the telephone and the computer.
ii. Access
 DSL service remains "on" all of the time.

 People should be aware that long-lived connections like

DSL can have security issues  firewall.
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 PSTN Upstream Downstream

4 2 138 1104 KHz

5

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Introduction to DSL Technology Cont’d…….
iii. Availability
 The technology used to implement DSL only works over a
limited physical distance. At the maximum, DSL runs about
18,000 feet (3.5 miles or 5.5 kilometers) from a telephone
exchange.
 To be eligible for DSL service, the phone line involved must
be "qualified."
 The home or business must lie within the distance
limitations of DSL (18,000 feet).
 This phone line must also possess sufficient electrical
quality characteristics.
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Introduction to DSL Technology Cont’d…….

iv. Bandwidth
 The actual network bandwidth a customer will receive from
DSL in the home depends on the span of their telephone
wiring.
 The longer the line, the less bandwidth DSL can support.
 Likewise, its thickness (wire gauge) can affect performance.

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Introduction to DSL Technology Cont’d…….

Cable length (feet) Bandwidth availability (kbps)

18,000 1,544

16,000 2,048

12,000 6,312

9,000 8,448

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Types of DSL (xDSL)
 The different DSL technologies are in short known as xDSL.
 xDSL technologies can be grouped into two broad categories.
i. Symmetric DSL: services provide identical data rates
upstream and downstream.
ii. Asymmetric DSL: provides relatively lower rates upstream
but higher rates downstream.
 The different xDSL technologies include:
 ADSL, G.Lite and RADSL
 HDSL, SDSL, and SHDSL
 VDSL (VADSL, BDSL)
 IDSL
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Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL)

 ADSL was designed to provide higher downstream data rates at

the expense of upstream rates.
 ADSL is technically capable of up to 6 Mbps, but the service
customers actually receive generally performs at 2 Mbps or
lower for downloads and 512 Kbps for uploads.
 Many typical uses of the Web such as file downloads and
general web browsing requires greater downstream bandwidth
but relatively little in the opposite direction which makes
ADSL more suitable for this case.
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Universal ADSL (G.Lite)
 Universal ADSL (also known as G.Lite) is a form of ADSL that
improves on one of the weaknesses of regular ADSL
installation.
 Regular ADSL generally requires a technician visit to the client
site to install the splitter device that divides the frequency
spectrum for voice and data.
 G.Lite does not require that this splitter be installed, but it does
so at the expense of lower data rates.
 G.Lite supports a maximum of 1,544 kbps (384 kbps upstream)
where as regular ("full-rate") ADSL can support more than
8,000 kbps.
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Rate-Adaptive DSL (RADSL)

 RADSL is an implementation of ADSL that automatically

configures the modem at startup to adjust its rate according to
the quality of the phone line.
 Like G.Lite, RADSL supports a much lower maximum date
rate (1,088 kbps) than regular ADSL.

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 High Data Rate DSL (HDSL)

 HDSL offers the same bandwidth both upstream and

downstream.
 HDSL requires two phone lines to deliver the basic data rate
(1,544 kbps),
 It can deliver a maximum rate of 2,048 kbps using three lines.

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Symmetric DSL (SDSL)

 SDSL improves on the older HDSL technology by

implementing the same basic data rate (1,544 Kbps) while
requiring only a single phone line.
 SDSL supports data rates up to 3,088 Kbps.

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Symmetric High Data Rate DSL (SHDSL)

 SHDSL attempts to improve on both HDSL and SDSL by

only requiring a single line and by integrating low-level
services of interest to small businesses.
 SHDSL technology can transport data symmetrically at data
rates from 192 Kbps to 2,320 Kbps.

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Very High Data Rate DSL (VDSL)

 VDSL originally named VADSL ('A' for asymmetric) but

later was extended to support both symmetric and
asymmetric varieties of DSL.
 VDSL relies on fiber optic cabling.
 VDSL needs shorter cable lengths than most other forms of
DSL (maximum 4,500 feet as compared to 18,000 feet for
regular ADSL), but it also achieves the highest data rate
(roughly 51,840 kbps).

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 Very High Data Rate DSL (VDSL) Cont’d…

 The bandwidth levels supported by VDSL are needed to support

certain high-end applications such as High-Definition Television
(HDTV) that requires, for example, up to 20,000 kbps.
 The performance of VDSL depends significantly on the physical
distance traversed by wiring: Shorter distances mean faster
networking.

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ISDN DSL (IDSL)

 ISDN DSL (IDSL) implements a hybrid DSL/ISDN solution.

 IDSL offers only limited data rates (128 kbps, although

multiple circuits may be bonded).

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Brief Overview of ADSL Technology
 ADSL is a form of DSL, a data communications technology
that enables faster data transmission over copper telephone
lines
 ADSL is capable of providing up to 50 Mbps, and supports
voice, video and data.
 ADSL is the number one broadband choice in the world
with over 60% market share.
 ADSL is now available in every region of the world.
 Better connection if closer to the provider’s exchange
 Faster receiving than sending data
 Not available everywhere
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Brief Overview of ADSL Technology Cont‘d....

 ADSL uses unused frequencies on copper telephone lines to

transmit traffic typically at multi-megabit speeds
 ADSL allows voice and high-speed data to be sent
simultaneously over the same line.
 With ADSL service is 'always available'
 With ADSL you are wired for speed.
 Usually provide the modem as part of the installation
Internet
 Doesn’t need new wiring
 Connection open and still use the phone line for voice calls
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Brief Overview of ADSL Technology Cont‘d....

 ADSL is high-speed
connection that uses the
same wires as a regular
telephone line

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 ADSL standards

Standard name Common name Downstream Upstream

rate  rate
ITU G.992.1 ADSL (G.DMT) 8 Mbit/s 1.0 Mbit/s
ITU G.992.2 ADSL Lite 1.5 Mbit/s 0.5 Mbit/s
(G.Lite)
ITU G.992.3/4 ADSL2 12 Mbit/s 1.0 Mbit/s
ITU G.992.3/4 Annex ADSL2 12 Mbit/s 3.5 Mbit/s
J
ITU G.992.3/4 Annex RE-ADSL2 5 Mbit/s 0.8 Mbit/s
L
ITU G.992.5 ADSL2+ 24 Mbit/s 1.0 Mbit/s
ITU G.992.5 Annex L RE-ADSL2+ 24 Mbit/s 1.0 Mbit/s
ITU G.992.5 Annex M ADSL2+ 28 Mbit/s 3.5 Mbit/s

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ADSL Speed Comparison
Pure Fiber

Hybrid Fiber/Copper
FTTH

Enhanced
Copper FTTx,
VDSL2,
ADSL2plus
ADSL

ISDN
Voice band
Modem

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ADSL Range
 In general, the maximum range for DSL without a repeater is 5.5
km.
 As distance decreases toward the telephone company office, the
data rate increases.
 For larger distances, you may be able to have DSL if your phone
company has extended the local loop with optical fiber cable.
Data Rate Wire gauge Wire size Distance
1.5 or 2 Mbps 24 AWG 0.5 mm 5.5 km
1.5 or 2 Mbps 26 AWG 0.4 mm 4.6 km
6.1 Mbps 24 AWG 0.5 mm 3.7 km
1.5 or 2 Mbps 26 AWG 0.4 mm 2.7 km
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ADSL Speed Factors

 The distance from the local exchange

 The type and thickness of wires used
 The number and type of joins in the wire

 The proximity of the wire to other wires carrying ADSL,

ISDN and other non-voice signals
 The proximity of the wires to radio transmitters.

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 ADSL Network Components

 The ADSL modem at the customer premises(ATU-R)

 The modem of the central office (ATU-C)

 DSL access multiplexer (DSLAM)

 Broadband Access Server (BAS)
 Splitter - an electronic low pass filter that separates the
analogue voice or ISDN signal from ADSL data
frequencies( DSLAM)

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ADSL Loop Architecture

DSL

Voice Switch

ISP

Central Office Subscriber premises

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Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (DSLAM)
 ADSL service provider has an ADSL Access Multiplexer
(DSLAM) to receive customer connections.
 DSLAM is a multiplexer at a phone company's central
location that links many customer DSL connections to a single
high-speed ATM line.
 xDSL line cards are installed in a DSLAM to terminate
incoming xDSL signals
 The DSLAM then combines multiple xDSL access lines into
one high speed line
 The multiplexed traffic is converted into ATM cells which gets
sent over an ATM backbone.
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ADSL Requirements

 Phone-line, activated by your phone company for ADSL

 Filter to separate the phone signal from the Internet signal

 ADSL modem
 Subscription with an ISP supporting ADSL

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How ADSL work
 ADSL exploits the unused analogue bandwidth available in the
wires

PSTN Upstream Downstream

4 25 138 1104 KHz

 ADSL works by using a frequency splitter device to split a
traditional voice telephone line into two frequencies
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 Advantages and Disadvantages of ADSL

 Advantages
 Simultaneous Internet and voice/fax capabilities over a single telephone
line
 Uninterrupted, high-speed Internet access that's always on-line
 Cost-effective solution for society
 Data security that exceeds other technologies
 Fast download speeds

 Disadvantages:
 Distance-sensitive
 Slower upload speeds
 Phone line required

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DSL vs Cable Modem

i. Speed
 Cable modem generally wins the speed battle over DSL.
 Cable technology can, in theory, achieve networking speeds
of approximately 30 Mbps (using a 100 Mbps NIC)
 Most forms of DSL cannot reach 10 Mbps.

 cable modem technology delivers shared bandwidth within

the local neighborhood
 DSL delivers dedicated local bandwidth.

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DSL vs Cable Modem
ii. Security
 In terms of installation , a cable modem is more easier than
DSL.
 In terms of security, DSL is slightly more secure than cable
modem.
 Many DSL and cable modem customers choose to purchase
routers to protect their internal systems.

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 QUIZ 2
1. Why we need digital subscriber line
technologies? How xDSL service is
achieved over the existing telephone line?
2. What is the difference between
asymmetrical DSL (ADSL) and Symmetrical
DSL?
3. Why we need DSLAM in the central
office?

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