In reply to a post by orly:

Perfectly possible.

In Canada, Bell will give you just an ADSL connection. You can't make calls - in fact there isn't even a plug on the sockets for your phone to connect to.

But it is still supplied over a "telephone line" !

True

My interpretation of the question was whether there was a need for the phone service component. See the 3rd line of the original post beginning "IE..."

I'm pretty sure the original poster is aware a physical cable is required unless you want ADSL via thin air.

Edited by orly (Wed 13-Jul-11 18:10:59)

Orly

Indeed, that was me basic point.. I am sorry if didn't make that fully clear

In reply to a post by billford:

I suspect the reasons are practical rather than purely technical... you need a wire between you and the point where all the kit is installed (let's call it an "exchange") and that wire needs a number associated with it so the user can be identified.

I have an idea. We can do without the wire, and send signals bouncing off satellites which could orbit the planet. Lets call it...wireless!!

I reckon I may be onto something. In fact, we could do the same with phones. Or even...electricity...that would make electric cars viable (actually that's not a bad idea).

Effectively, "Wireless Broadband" is what one gets when using a Dongle, so in part this demonstrates what the original quetioner asked.

The dongles use the Mobile/Cell Phone system, with its attendant masts, wiring, power supplies, centralised exchanges, running costs, maintenance costs etc - and compare the charges for using dongles compared to the generally existing telephone wires.

I have not enquired recently; but back in 1978, fixed phone wiring reached 65% of households in the UK, our estate then 10 years old had at least 85% connected lines as the former PO Telephones described it, with 100% cabling in position.

That tends to be the pattern for all newer estates.

So the phone wiring is a very convenient method of getting Broadband to most households in the UK - the main problem being for households at some distance from the exchanges.

For example I am only 1.25 Km from our exchange; but the maximum speed by the TBB Test is 6.4 Mbps, compared with the advertised "Up to 8 Mbps" .

In reply to a post by MHC:

The pole being demolished, cable cut, branch bringing down the line, water ingress, business rates for poles, cabinets and buildings floor space in the exchange for the cable termination racks and more ...

I'll concede the bold highlighted, however the others you mention I have to disregard as I see absolute no evidence of this!

The OP asked about ADSL which stands for Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. Note the word LINE which implies wires not wireless and Sunscriber Line means a telephone line.

Edited by MHC (Thu 14-Jul-11 09:39:36)

In reply to a post by NilSatisOptimum:

In reply to a post by MHC:

The pole being demolished, cable cut, branch bringing down the line, water ingress, business rates for poles, cabinets and buildings floor space in the exchange for the cable termination racks and more ...

I'll concede the bold highlighted, however the others you mention I have to disregard as I see absolute no evidence of this!

Why? They are a fact. BT pays business rates for all street furniture and has a team managing that area to ensure they only pay for what they have. Even optical fibre has a rateable value ... As for no evidence of teh buildings - where do you think the line actually goes to?

In reply to a post by billford:

In reply to a post by NilSatisOptimum:

What repairs or maintenance!

You'd prefer to pay the full cost of callout, investigation, tracing and repair next time your line goes crackly?

I would very much appreciate a 13 month old fix to a fault. Which has been established from the exchange 1 month in. Thats what i would prefer!

Nice one .