DSL Services

Digital Subscriber Line

Affordable In-House Web Hosting

Image, courtesy,
Covad Communications Company

DSL Internet Access

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) is a new technology that runs over standard phone lines. Unlike regular modem and ISDN access, DSL is "always on" and allows you to download files and view graphic intensive web pages at speeds up to 10 times faster than ISDN and up to 50 times faster than conventional 28.8 Kbps modems. DSL Glossary

Benefits

The increased bandwidth and flexibility of DSL offers an unmatched combination of speed and price.

Permanent Internet presence - DSL service is a dedicated circuit that requires no dialing. DSL connected servers are always online. Small businesses can now operate full-time Internet-accessible web servers with DSL. ISP assigned IP addresses allow small businesses to operate their own low-cost, constantly connected to the Internet, web sites.

Low price - When compared to ISDN usage charges in California or equivalent Frame Relay services, DSL service provides superior value to businesses needing Internet access from a single location.

Keep your POTS line - With DSL service, businesses can keep their existing POTS line. DSL installs on the same line with no interference to traditional telephone service. Unlike ISDN, no usage charges are incurred for DSL service and no external power supply is required.

Secure - DSL provides a dedicated connection to the Pacific Bell central office with data traffic routed directly to the Pacific Bell Fast Packet Network and on to Pacific Bell Internet. This provides a more secure connection than cable modems that use a shared LAN medium to connect to the Internet.

DSL gives high-speed access to a corporate LAN or the Internet. It provides bandwidth of up to l.544 mbps downstream (to Internet users or remote locations) and up to 384 kbps upstream (to your host or corporate LAN).

Team Effort

DSL is a Team Effort - To Manage a DSL Installation - Contact CBC

DSL Management


(click logos for contact or more information on each company)

Based on our own experience as the first DSL-equipped site in San Francisco's North Bay, CBC Communications Corp. can efficiently manage the bundling of DSL services from California's most advanced providers. Because we understand the technology and know how to deal with the various providers, we can help your company acquire DSL capability with a minimum of fuss - integrating it with CBC's "Turnkey" efforts on your behalf to give you your own web hosting capability, quickly and economically.The companies we have established relationships with include the following:

Concentric Network, Cupertino, CA

Concentric Network Corporation is a leader in the emerging class of powerful and dynamic value-added IP network services, including wide-area intranets and Extranets for business enterprises, large and small. Founded in 1991, Concentric became operational in late 1994 when it launched its nationwide IP frame relay network. Concentric also offers Internet services for individual subscribers, including basic dial-up point-to-point protocol (PPP), as well as value-added services like e-mail, file transfers (FTP), Telnet, and Web Hosting.

Concentric has designed and operates its own low/fixed latency, high-throughput, scaleable wide-area network (WAN) with performance that is adaptable on a per-call basis. The company specializes in building, operating, and supporting high-performance virtual private networks (VPNs) for enterprises. VPNs combine the best elements of a public data network with a private network to offer value-added products, channels and services.

Concentric Network VPNs allow customers to create private dial-up networks with higher reliability, more security, and more flexibility than information delivery over the Internet. Customers save money by outsourcing their network equipment and telecom lines, as well as staffing costs for network management and user support. Concentric offers quality of service guarantees where it proactively measures its own performance and grant credit to customers when they deserve it, without them having to request it. http://www.concentric.com.

dsl_diagram.gif (14659 bytes)

If PacBell is the LEC (Fast Packet ATM Network), the standard phone service charge for the phone line used as the DSL circuit is not included. However, an existing phone line may be used, and a splitter will be installed to enable your existing phone line to carry both your data and voice traffic. If Covad is the LEC a new phone line is required - the phone service fee is included.With ConcentricDSL service, the high-speed connection to your corporate LAN or Internet Service Provider (ISP) has a bandwidth of up to 1.544 Mbps to your home or remote site (downstream) and up to 384 Kbps to your ISP or corporate LAN (upstream). Other connection speeds available allow the same amount of bandwidth in the upstream and downstream directions, at speeds from 144 Kbps to 1.1 Mbps.

IP Addresses Needed for Web Hosting

Concentric issues the IP addresses needed for you to host your company's sites, and, they issue the "single bill" you receive. Either Covad Communications Company or PacBell provide the "hardwire" DSL service on installed lines - they bill Concentric. CBC Communications Corp. works with you to coordinate ordering, connecting to your LAN or ISP, as well as the delivery and installation of your DSL line and equipment, including your ADSL modem and splitter. CBC facilitates the entire installation, bringing up your web sites concurrently with hardware installation for your full-time Internet accessibility. The low monthly costs of hosting your own DSL enabled web sites are in the table below.

ConcentricDSL Internet Service Pricing

Speed	Monthly *
144 Kbps - 160 Kbps	US$149
384 Kbps	US$159 - $199
784 Kbps	US$359
1.1 Mbps	US$399
1.5 Mbps/384 Kbps	US$299 - $359

* Monthly fee is based on choice of speed, line availability and local exchange carrier in your area. There is also a one-time installation charge which includes hardware, circuit activation and on-site installation. Hardware prices range from US$350 - $650. Circuit activation and on-site installation charges range from US$125 - $375.

Installation prices include the following:

DSL modem, and if using PacBell and an existing phone line, a splitter
On-site installation by a qualified DSL technician
Connection from your site to the Concentric Network via the LEC DSL network
Configuration of Internet connectivity via the Concentric Network.

PacBell
Pacific Bell, San Francisco, CA

Pacific Bell is currently offering its FasTrak® DSL service in selected areas as part of a market trial approved by the California Public Utilities Commission. Participation in the market trial is voluntary and customers may discontinue the service at any time. Pacific Bell may remove the service from market trial at any time. The trial is scheduled to conclude August 31, 1998. The terms and conditions during the market trial may be different once FasTrak® DSL service is offered under tariff. Due to facility constraints, Pacific Bell can not guarantee the availability of FasTrak® DSL in all areas.

In the San Francisco Bay Area, FasTrak® DSL is currently offered in areas of San Ramon, Danville, Walnut Creek, San José, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Burlingame, Los Altos, Mountain View, Palo Alto and Redwood City.

Pacific Bell's FasTrak DSL offers data over voice capability.

DSL requires no new phone connections as it delivers high-speed data access over your existing POTS (plain old telephone service) line allowing you to use your voice line while maintaining your high-speed data connection.

You must be qualified to ensure that your access line meets DSL specifications, which include maximum distance from your Pacific Bell central office of from 2 to 3 miles. Beyond 3 miles IDSL can be employed at 128/128 speeds. For PacBell DSL availability use the FasTrak link above.

Also during initial offerings, you will need to have your ADSL line associated with either a corporate LAN or a participating Internet service provider, like Concentric.

A PacBell DSL installation requires a compatible ADSL modem at your location. PacBell DSL modems are provided by Alcatel.

PacBell_DSLnet.jpg (27901 bytes) The ADSL modem is connected to a server by either an Ethernet or an ATM25 Network Interface Card (NIC). A device called a splitter is the interface between the ADSL modem and the installed copper phone lines at your business.

Covad Communications Corp., Santa Clara, CA

In the North Bay, Covad is currently providing DSL services in Santa Rosa, Larkspur and Mill Valley. Covad is a packet CLEC ("Competitive Local Exchange Carrier") authorized by the California Public Utilities Commissions to provide services over existing local telephone lines as an alternative to the existing ILEC ("Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier" (the phone company). Covad is a CLEC in several states and is rapidly deploying advanced DSL equipment in central offices throughout the country. http://www.covad.com/

Covad's role is the same as PacBell's, using theirs installed lines to provide the competing service. Their DSL service is offered as "data only." Covad's importance to you is the competitive pressure they represent to PacBell, and that they offer DSL service to localities where PacBell does not! It is Covad who is providing DSL connection service for Sonoma and Marin Counties (PacBell may schedule North Bay service for 1999). Click Covad's logo for their latest North Bay and other Bay Area location availability. Or, contact CBC Communications Corp. for our latest information.

Covad is a packet Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC) authorized by Public Utilities Commissions to provide services over existing local telephone lines as an alternative to the existing ILEC (Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier)--your local phone company. Covad is a CLEC in multiple states and is rapidly deploying advanced Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) equipment in central offices throughout the country.

DSL Glossary [courtesy, Pacific Bell]

ADSL
Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line: Modems attached to twisted pair copper wiring that transmit from 1.5 Mbps to 9 Mbps downstream (to the subscriber) and from 16 kbps to 800 kbps upstream, depending on line distance.

ATM Asynchronous Transfer Mode
A connection-oriented, packet-like switching technology that utilizes virtual channels instead of dedicated circuits to carry data in fixed-length (1 cell = 53 bytes) over a broadband network.

ATM25
A high speed, cell based, direct connection to a network where an ATM25 network interface card (NIC) is installed so that the user can access any host connected to the network.

DMT
Discrete multitone transmission which is used for DSL service from Pacific Bell.

Downstream/Upstream
Downstream refers to data flowing from the source such as a corporate host or Internet service provider (ISP) to the end user. Upstream refers to data flowing from the end user back to the corporate host or ISP.

DSLAM
Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer specifically, a device which takes a number of ADSL subscriber lines and concentrates these to a single ATM line.

DSL Modem
Short for Modulator-Demodulator, this hardware device converts ATM cells to Ethernet packets and vis versa in the use of FasTrak DSL.

Ethernet Connection
A high speed direct connection to a network where an Ethernet network interface card (NIC) is installed so that the user can access any host connected to the network.

Network Interface Card
A expansion board you insert into a computer so the computer can be connected to a network. Most NICs are designed for a particular type of network, protocol, and media, although some can serve multiple networks.

RADSL
Rate Adaptive ADSL: a version of ADSL where the modems test the line at start up and adapt their operating speed to the fastest the line can handle.

Splitter
Filters which separate high frequency (ADSL) and low frequency (POTS) signals at both the end user and central office end points.

Virtual Circuit (VC)
Interface between Access Node and network. May have multiple physical connections although may also carry all signals across a single physical connection.