VDSL

very high bit-rate DSL (VDSL) is seen by many as
the next step in providing a complete home-communications/entertainment
package. There are already some companies, such as U.S. West (part of
Qwest now), that offer VDSL service in selected areas. VDSL provides an
incredible amount of bandwidth, with speeds up to about 52 megabits per
second (Mbps). Compare that with a maximum speed of 8 to 10 Mbps for
ADSL or cable modem and it's clear that the move from current broadband technology to VDSL
could be as significant as the migration from a 56K modem to broadband.
As VDSL becomes more common, you can expect that integrated packages
will be cheaper than the total amount for current separate services.

In this article, you'll learn about VDSL technology, why it's
important and how it compares to other DSL technologies. But first,
let's take a look at the basics of DSL.

A standard telephone
installation in the United States consists of a pair of copper wires
that the phone company installs in your home. A pair of copper wires
has plenty of bandwidth for carrying data in addition to voice
conversations. Voice signals use only a fraction of the available
capacity on the wires. DSL exploits this remaining capacity to carry
information on the wire without disturbing the line's ability to carry
conversations.

Standard phone service limits the frequencies that the
switches, telephones and other equipment can carry. Human voices,
speaking in normal conversational tones, can be carried in a frequency
range of 400 to 3,400 Hertz (cycles per second). In most cases, the
wires themselves have the potential to handle frequencies of up to
several-million Hertz. Modern equipment that sends digital (rather than
analog) data can safely use much more of the telephone line's capacity,
and DSL does just that.

VDSL could change the face of E-commerce by allowing all types of media to run smoothly and beautifully through your computer.