Cable Forum - View Single Post - Caps-the logic

Ignition · 16-10-2005, 17:58

Cable is a high bandwidth pipe that's throttled down for each user, result being that you get a burst of bandwith before the throttling kicks in.

DSL is a constant data rate connection, you're always talking to the kit in the exchange at 2Mbps or whatever, just that when you're not transmitting or receiving data null frames are transmitted containing nothing.

Basically DSL cannot go faster than the line rate while cable delivers a burst of bandwidth which isn't changed by how fast your line is, just how quickly your traffic starts being policed down to the speed you pay for.

Hope that explains.

16-10-2005, 17:58	#11
Ignition Permanently Banned Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: South-East London Age: 48 Services: Depends who's being serviced :p Posts: 2,588	Re: Caps-the logic Cable is a high bandwidth pipe that's throttled down for each user, result being that you get a burst of bandwith before the throttling kicks in. DSL is a constant data rate connection, you're always talking to the kit in the exchange at 2Mbps or whatever, just that when you're not transmitting or receiving data null frames are transmitted containing nothing. Basically DSL cannot go faster than the line rate while cable delivers a burst of bandwidth which isn't changed by how fast your line is, just how quickly your traffic starts being policed down to the speed you pay for. Hope that explains.