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John Lewis Broadband
Unlimited Broadband & Evening and Weekend Calls
12 month contract
+ Phone
10Mb / second
Average speed
Unlimited
Usage
£19.00 / month
£0 upfront fees
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TalkTalk Broadband
Fast Broadband
18 month contract
+ Phone
11Mb / second
Average speed
Unlimited
Usage
£22.95 / month
£9.95 upfront fees
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Plusnet Broadband
Unlimited Broadband
12 month contract
+ Phone
10Mb / second
Average speed
Unlimited
Usage
£26.00 / month
£0 upfront fees
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Plusnet Broadband
Unlimited Broadband & Unlimited UK & Mobile Calls
12 month contract
+ Phone
10Mb / second
Average speed
Unlimited
Usage
£27.50 / month
£0 upfront fees
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Shell Energy Broadband
Fast Broadband & Anytime Calls
18 month contract
+ Phone
11Mb / second
Average speed
Unlimited
Usage
£30.99 / month
£0 upfront fees
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What is ADSL?
ADSL stands for Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. An ADSL broadband connection is provided over your home telephone line. The UK infrastructure for ADSL connections is actually owned and operated by a company called Openreach (formerly owned by BT). So one way or another you’ll be renting your phone line from Openreach.
As you know, there are many different broadband providers offering ADSL connections. This works by a process known as LLU (local loop bundling). The secondary provider (such as TalkTalk) rents the phone line and exchange space from Openreach, and then installs their own software at the telephone exchanges to provide their service.
How does ADSL broadband work?
ADSL broadband connections transfer your data through the copper wires of the existing telephone infrastructure.
Because they leverage the existing telephone network, ADSL connections are extremely popular and very cheap. This is because there’s hardly anything to install (thus not requiring an engineer visit in most cases).
If you do sign up for an ADSL broadband package, you’ll be provided with filters to put on your phone sockets. These filters are essential as they keep your internet data, and normal landline phone connection, separate. This allows you to use the internet whilst also using your phone.
Another type of ADSL connection is ADSL2+. This works much in the same way as regular ADSL, but has different software allowing it to provide much faster broadband speeds.
One drawback of ADSL connections, however, is that your distance from the telephone exchange can severely reduce the connection speed you receive. Furthermore, if the copper wires have deteriorated, this can also affect your broadband speed too.
ADSL Broadband: Pros and Cons
As with anything you sign up to, it’s important to weigh up the pros and cons of getting ADSL broadband over an alternative type of connection:
Why should you get ADSL?
- Some of the cheapest broadband deals available use ADSL technology.
- Much more widely available in the UK than fibre broadband.
- Greater selection of broadband providers when comparing deals.
- Installation should be quick and easy as it uses the existing copper phone lines that are connected to your home.
Why shouldn’t you get ADSL?
- Slower speeds may not be suitable for heavy users, i.e. gamers, streamers, large households etc.
- The further your home is from the telephone exchange, the slower and less reliable your connection will be.
- If you live in a new building, a telephone line may need to be installed in your home which will cost you time and money.
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Where can I get ADSL broadband?
Apart from a few small providers who specialise in localised superfast broadband, you can find ADSL deals on offer from the majority of ISPs in the UK. These include:
Not all well-known providers offer ADSL broadband, however, as Virgin Media only offers fibre optic broadband while you won’t find any ADSL deals from Vodafone either.
ADSL Alternatives
ADSL connections are cheap, readily available, and easy to get a hold of, so they are a very popular option with the vast majority of broadband customers. However, they’re not for everyone. Maybe you don’t want a landline phone or don’t want to pay for line rental. There are a few other options for you to consider:
- 3G mobile internet - you can get speeds of up to 21Mbps
- 4G mobile internet - very similar to 3G broadband but with much faster speeds of up to 80Mbps
- Fibre optic broadband - provided through fibre optic cables, this broadband has speeds of up to 1Gbps. However, coverage is limited and there are installation costs as the existing phone network cannot be leveraged. Mostly, ADSL is used by people who don't have access to fibre.
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Last reviewed: 01 March 2021
Next review: 01 April 2021