Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) technology uses existing copper telephone wiring to deliver high-speed data services to businesses and homes. In its various forms - including ADSL, HDSL, IDSL, R-ADSL, SDSL, and VDSL - DSL offers users a choice of speeds ranging from 32 Kbps to, in laboratory settings, more than 50 Mbps. These digital services will ultimately be used to deliver bandwidth-intensive applications like video on demand and distance learning. More immediately, today DSL is for the first time putting high-speed Internet access within the reach of small and medium-size businesses.

DSL takes existing voice cables that connect customer premises to the phone company's central office (CO) and turns them into a high-speed digital link. Over any given link, the maximum DSL speed is determined by the distance between the customer site and the CO.

At the customer premises, a DSL modem connects the phone line to either a standalone computer or a local-area network (LAN). This DSL equipment differs from other Internet access devices in two key respects: It requires no end-user configuration, and it is not a dial-up solution. Once installed, the DSL modem provides the customer site with continuous connection to the Internet.

Continuous Connection: DSL users are always connected, so they get immediate Internet access. ISDN terminal adapters require 5-10 seconds to establish a connection, while dial-up modems can take nearly half a minute.

Flat fee: DSL subscribers pay a flat monthly fee for Internet access. There are no usage charges to worry about.

Dedicated Bandwidth: DSL line speeds are constant and provide the same speed (hence the "Symmetric" moniker) in both directions. Unlike cable modems, DSL equipment is not accessing a shared infrastructure that throttles down individual connection speeds when traffic gets heavy.

Investment Protection: DSL provides customers with a cost-effective upgrade path. Apache can upgrade your DSL Access Device remotely via software when you decide you need a higher access speed.

Easy Maintenance: DSL connectivity is easy to maintain. Unlike ISDN devices, DSL modems don't require any complex manual configuration - they are truly plug and play.

Comparison to Cable Services: Cable services are generally a residential and individual solution only. Cable services utilize a shared line, introducing security risks and variable bandwidth throughput depending on line utilization. In comparison, Apache DSL uses a dedicated line and delivers guaranteed bandwidth 24 hours a day. Most importantly, Apache DSL supports multiple users, providing access for an entire Local Area Network, while cable services generally do not.