Small Business DSLFor Small Business
Internet Access
DSL can be used by any small or home-based business as an effective means of internet access. Basically, a small business just uses a stand alone business phone line, which iTelNet can also provide, and adds on a small business DSL modem. The extra cost for DSL for small business varies, but is approximately $50 a month (depending on your area, needs, and other factors). To learn more about the small business DSL that we provide,
contact iTelNet today by clicking
here.
Note: If you have more than 4 or 5 employees, or you need to be able to take more than one call at a time, you’ll want to consider upgrading from DSL to a T1. T1s provide a large number of lines and faster, more reliable internet access.
Click here to learn more about our T1 service.
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What is Small Business DSL?
DSL, an acronym for Digital Subscriber Line, refers to a high-speed digital broadband internet service provided through regular copper wire telephone lines. Voice data is carried along the copper wire as electrical impulses, which is called an analog signal. Voice data takes up very little space within the phone line. Home or small business DSL uses the excess bandwidth to transmit digital signals that create the high speed Internet connection between your computer and the telephone company’s nearest hub, or exchange. That connection is what carries text and data files, large and small, to and from your computer. Voice data does not interfere with the digital signals because they operate on different frequencies, in the same way radio stations broadcast on unique frequencies. That’s why you can talk on the phone while sending a fax and browsing the Internet all at once. DSL filters are used to eliminate potential buzzing noises that digital signals can generate. |
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Small Business DSL offers increased bandwidth capability over residential
DSL. For self-employed individuals or companies with fewer than five employees, the capacity of standard residential DSL may be all the business solution necessary. But for companies with more than a few employees, Small Business DSL offers networking, where you can connect multiple office computers to the same line without loss of browsing or broadband speed, and provides a DSL solution that meets the specific needs of individual companies. But not all DSL technologies are created equal so it’s important to know the differences.
All companies require efficient and cost-effective tools and services to maximize their bottom lines, none more so than a reliable broadband Internet service. DSL for small business especially, is a digital lifeline that connects companies to both sides of the supply chain and facilitates B2B interactions. In the future, technological advances such as mobile
internet may make small business DSL obsolete, but for the time being, small business DSL is much faster than wireless internet access. |
Types of Small Business DSL
The most common DSL for small business is ADSL, which stands for
asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. In ADSL, the download and
upload speeds are different. It is designed to accommodate the
most typical broadband scenario, which is where more data flows
through the bandwidth pipe toward the user than from the
user. In practical terms this means downloads will be
significantly faster than uploads: 8 Mbps to 1 Mbps maximum.
ADSL 2 offers download speeds up to 25 Mbps with upstream speed
still at 1 Mbps.
Rate Adaptive DSL (RADSL) is a type of ADSL which uses software
to compute how fast a delivery rate to use on an individual
phone, depending on the quality of the phone line. RADSL
compensates for noise and other interference.
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A Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line, SDSL, offers identical
upload and download speeds in the 1.5 to 7 megabit per second
range, SDSL cannot co-exist with voice or fax so it needs to be
installed on a dedicated phone line.
The latest innovation in Small Business DSL is Very High
bit-rate DSL. VDSL is the SUPER-SIZE ME solution, with
blistering bandwidth speeds of over100 Mbps for downloads and 50
Mbps for uploads, making today’s typical ADSL rates look like
dial-up by comparison. VDSL is only offered in selected areas,
mostly densely populated Asian cities, because it needs to be
within 5000 ft of a hub to work. VDSL2 offers symmetric rates of
100 Mbps with a range of slightly over 2 miles. |
Considerations with small business DSL
When installing a Small Business DSL solution there are some technical aspects to consider such as deciding between a hardware firewall or a router as the Internet gateway. The primary difference between them is that firewalls are more security minded while routers are more enterprise minded. Firewalls restrict the flow of traffic based on the designated preferences. Routers facilitate the movement of data between networks. ITelNet offers a
networking computers service that might come in handy as well.
Computers can be connected to an Internet service provider, or ISP, either through a bridged or routed
DSL. Bridged DSL is a direct connection between the ISP and computer. Data passes back and forth across the bridge. The downside is, the bigger the network, the more inefficient the system and the more prone to noise and interference. Most DSL for small business is routed. As the name suggested, information moves between routers in this DSL system. When available, routed DSL is the preferred small business DSL because it offers superior quality, cleaner transmissions and better security.
By the way, iTelNet also offers expandable phone systems as well as
business voicemail
systems. In other words, we can set up your entire telecom service, including phone systems to go with your DSL’s business access. Call us at 1-800-677-0836 to speak with an experienced executive about our small business DSL and other services.
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Competitors of Small Business DSL
T1 and T3 lines are essentially ultra high-speed phone lines, and outperform small business DSL significantly. T1 lines are symmetric, delivering 1.54 Mbps for both up and down stream. The appeal of T1 lines is their consistency. Regardless the distance from a central office, their speed remains the same.
T3 lines are workhorses. They are 30x faster than T1 lines, boasting a rate of 44.6 Mbps which makes them especially appealing to large businesses and networks that have high traffic flow. But speed doesn’t come cheap and the cost for a T3 line cost several hundred dollars at a minimum.
Cable modems are generally faster than typical DSL for downloads. But comparatively, they are notably limited on the upstream making cable modems a less efficient option than Small Business
DSL. Another drawback: cable modem technology shares the same internet pipeline with other businesses and residences in your area. Therefore, as more users connect, your speed slows down.
If you are interested in T1 phone and internet service, call iTelNet today toll free at 1-800-677-8036, as T1s are one of our specialties.
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How Secure is Small Business DSL?
No internet connection is 100% safe, especially with broadband services that are always on. But as a rule of thumb, routed DSL is more secure than bridged
DSL. It is a smart precaution to install a firewall to protect your small business DSL line. Anti-virus software is also an option. If you set up
business WIFI for your
office, you’ll certainly want a password protected system. iTelNet can help you with these protections, and much more. Call or email us today for details!
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