👉 ADSL, or Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line, is a broadband internet technology that uses existing telephone lines to provide high-speed internet access. The "biology" of ADSL refers to the way it interacts with the physical infrastructure of telephone networks. ADSL operates by modulating data onto an analog voice channel, which is then converted to digital form and transmitted over the copper wire. This process introduces a form of distortion known as intersymbol interference (ISI), which is particularly noticeable at higher data rates. To mitigate this, ADSL systems employ techniques like Discrete Multi-Tone (DMT) modulation and equalization, which help maintain signal integrity but can also limit the maximum achievable data rate. The asymmetric nature of ADSL, where download speeds typically exceed upload speeds, reflects its design to optimize for internet usage rather than telephone calls, influencing how data is processed and transmitted over the line.
