What is ADSL2?
ADSL2+ is the next generation of ADSL broadband offering much higher download speeds at distances further from the telephone exchange. Regular ADSL broadband in Australia has download speeds between 256Kbps and a maximum theoretical speed of 8000Kbps with upload speeds of between 64Kbps and 384 Kbps. ADSL2+ offers maximum theoretical download speeds in excess of 20Mbps (megabits per second) with upload speeds of up to 1Mbps, though actual speeds will be less due to many factors including your distance from the exchange, line quality and length, interference, network configuration, traffic and equipment. ADSL2+ speeds are typically much faster than regular ADSL. The vast majority of ADSL2+ users will achieve download speeds over 10Mbps and a small percentage of users with the optimal combination of physical parameters & equipment could achieve speeds upwards of 20Mbps.
What are the main benefits of ADSL2+ ?
ADSL2+ is much faster than regular ADSL. ADSL2+ is available further from the exchange. If you were previously unable to get ADSL broadband due to being too far away from the exchange, you may now be able to get broadband with ADSL2+.
Will I need a new modem to use ADSL2+ ?
Many newer model ADSL modems are already ADSL2+ compatible. Below is a list of popular compatible modem.
Popular modems that support ADSL2+
- Netcomm NB5
- Netcomm NB9W
- D-Link DSL502T
- D-Link DSL504T
- D-Link DSLG604T
- ZyXel P2602H
- ZyXel P2602HWL
Modems that do not support ADSL2+
- NetComm NB2
- NetComm NB3300
- NetComm NB1300+4
- NetComm NB1300
- NetComm NB5580W
- D-Link DSL-300
- D-Link DSL-300+
- D-Link DSL-200
- Alcatel Speed Touch Home
If your modem does not appear above consult your modem user guide or check with the manufacturer.
What speed is ADSL2?
Providers offer with ADSL2 will vary. In most cases, using it will double the capacity for downloading data, meaning providers will offer up to double the speeds of their ADSL service in the same area. Providers may also offer an increased upload speed, though some may not consider it worthwhile to do this. Because ADSL2 is an agreed standard, providers should not use the term for any service which has download speeds below 8Mb/s or upload speeds below 800Kb/s.