adsl

adsl — noun

IPA/ˌeɪ.diː.esˈel/
KK[ˌedˌiˌɛsˈɛl]IPA/ˌeɪ.diː.esˈel/

1. a type of broadband internet that travels through ordinary telephone wires, deli

1.nounB2
Definition

a type of broadband internet that travels through ordinary telephone wires, delivering fast download speeds while leaving the phone line free for calls

Example

Bilal noticed his ADSL connection was far quicker than the old dial-up service.

collocation: ADSL connection

The small office in Porto finally had ADSL installed after a two-month wait.

passive pattern: had ADSL installed

Common collocations
  • ADSL connection
  • ADSL modem
  • ADSL line
  • ADSL service
  • ADSL broadband
  • ADSL speed
  • ADSL filter
Synonyms
  • DSL

    a broader term; ADSL is one specific type of DSL where download speed is faster than upload

  • broadband

    a more general word for any high-speed internet; ADSL is one kind of broadband

Antonyms
  • dial-up

    an older, much slower technology that ties up the phone line completely

  • fibre broadband

    a newer, faster technology that uses glass cables instead of copper phone wires

Usage Note

ADSL is being replaced by fibre-optic broadband in many urban areas, but it remains common in places where fibre cables have not yet been laid.

adsl — abbreviation

IPA/ˌeɪ diː es ˈel/
KK[ˌedˌiˌɛsˈɛl]IPA/ˌeɪ diː es ˈel/

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

ADSL, broadband, fibre, and cable all describe ways of connecting to the internet, but they differ in speed and technology. ADSL uses existing copper phone lines and is slower than fibre or cable. Broadband is the broadest term — it simply means any high-speed internet, so ADSL is one type of broadband. Fibre-optic broadband sends data as light through glass cables and is much faster than ADSL, but it is not available everywhere. Cable internet uses the same coaxial wiring as cable TV; it is typically faster than ADSL but may slow down when many neighbours are online at once. Dial-up is the oldest option — it ties up the phone line completely and is far too slow for streaming or video calls. For example, you might say 'The village only had ADSL for years, but last month they finally got fibre.'

broadband ↗fibre ↗cable ↗dial-up ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • ADSL connection
  • ADSL line
  • ADSL modem
  • ADSL service
  • ADSL broadband
  • ADSL speed
  • ADSL filter

Phrases

  • ADSL is short for
  • full form of ADSL

Etymology

English

ADSL stands for Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. The technology was developed at Bellcore (Bell Communications Research) in the late 1980s. The word 'asymmetric' refers to the key design feature: download speeds are much faster than upload speeds, because most home users receive far more data than they send. ADSL became widely available in the late 1990s as telephone companies found a way to deliver broadband over the copper wires already installed in millions of homes.