ADSL is rapidly becoming the standard method of broadband Internet access, growing much faster than cable. However, there are some disadvantages of DSL that you should be aware of.
The first drawback is that ADSL prices can be highly variable, not only between ISPs, but within the same ISP in different areas. This is because most ISPs have only installed their own equipment on a limited number of local exchanges and continue to resell wholesale services for others. This can often double the prices advertised by ISPs! Unless you realize what is going on, the situation can be very confusing and ISPs make little effort to explain it to their customers.
If you are far from the telephone exchange, the speed of your ADSL connection may be affected, since ADSL is greatly affected by physical distance. The further he has to travel, the weaker he becomes. This fact makes ADSL very unsuitable for use in rural areas, where it is often not available.
ADSL is also affected by the number of people using your line. In a busy area, at peak times, there can be a noticeable slowdown, especially if your neighbors also have ADSL and you both have high-speed connections.
A specific disadvantage of ADSL, compared to other forms of DSL, is that ADSL downloads much faster than it uploads. If you frequently send files to other people, or want to host a website over your connection, this can be a huge disadvantage, as you’ll need to upgrade to more expensive commercial services to get decent upload speeds.
Another downside of ADSL is that you have to have a traditional phone line, which means you can’t take advantage of cheaper cable phone lines or Internet telephony instead. This can be a relatively high fixed cost each month, which often makes cable a cheaper option when it comes to considering phone service, TV, and Internet access together as a package.