What is VDSL and what’s the best alternative?

VDSL (Very-high-bit-rate Digital Subscriber Line) is a type of internet connection that uses copper telephone wires to deliver high-speed internet. It’s an improved version of DSL technologies like ADSL, using the same copper wires but transmitting data at much higher frequencies and faster speeds.

To achieve these speeds, VDSL requires special equipment, including a VDSL modem in the user's home and a DSLAM (Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer) at the provider's network. The closer a user is to their provider’s equipment, the better the speed and stability of the connection.

The main benefit of this is that VDSL can provide both internet and telephone services over the same line without affecting performance. This makes it ideal homes that need a reliable and fast internet connection but don’t have access to better options like fibre or cable broadband.

Still, like ADSL and other DSL connections, VDSL works best when the distance between the user and the internet provider’s equipment is short because the signal weakens over longer distances.

VDSL works by transmitting high-speed internet data over copper telephone lines. It uses a higher frequency range than older DSL technologies, which allows it to send and receive data much faster. To make this possible, VDSL requires special equipment, including:

• VDSL modem in the user’s home

• DSLAM (Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer) at the provider’s network.

The connection begins at the internet provider's central office or a nearby street cabinet, where the data is sent from the provider’s network (such as a central office or fibre cabinet) to a nearby DSLAM, which connects multiple users to high-speed internet. From the DSLAM, the internet data is transmitted over copper telephone lines to your home.

VDSL uses a wider range of frequencies (up to 30 MHz for VDSL2) compared to ADSL, allowing for faster data transfer. The signal is divided into multiple channels, with separate frequencies for downloading (from the internet to the user) and uploading (from the user to the internet).

At the user’s home, a VDSL modem receives the signal from the telephone line and converts it into usable internet data. The modem connects to the user’s router or computer, allowing them to access high-speed internet for browsing, streaming, gaming, and other online activities.

VDSL can provide download speeds of up to 100 Mbps and upload speeds of around 50 Mbps, but the actual speed you’ll get depends on factors like your distance from the provider and the quality of the copper telephone lines in your area. The closer a home or business is to the network distribution point (such as a street cabinet or exchange), the faster and more stable the connection will be.

Here are some of the average speeds you can expect with VDSL in ideal conditions:

VDSL and ADSL both use copper phone wires to connect you to the internet, but VDSL transmits data at higher frequencies for faster speeds. VDSL can provide download speeds of up to 100 Mbps and upload speeds of 50 Mbps, while ADSL only allows for downloads of 24 Mbps and uploads of around 1 Mbps.

This makes VDSL a better option than ADSL for modern internet activities like streaming, gaming, and video calls. A newer version of VDSL, VDSL2, can even reach speeds of 200 Mbps under ideal conditions, which is almost ten times the average speed of ADSL.

VDSL is ideal if you need faster speeds than ADSL but don’t have access to fiber-optic broadband. It works best when you live close to the provider’s network equipment, such as a street cabinet or telephone exchange. The farther you are from these points, the slower your connection may become, so if you are in a rural or remote area without fibre, ADSL or satellite broadband might be more reliable options, even if they are slower.

If fibre is available in your area, you’ll be better off going for fibre broadband. it’s less affected by distance than VDSL and can provides much faster and more reliable speeds at lower costs.

If you’re unsure what you can get, you can use our helpful broadband postcode checker to see what type of connections are available in your area.