Why is SDSL so expensive in comparison to ADSL?

[thepeoplespal]

I have been having delusions of grandeur, with regard to hosting my own website, with my own Linux Box.

I was thinking that 256k uploading from my side might not really be quick enough for visitors, so I looked at SDSL. Wow £170+ a month for an extra 256k increase in upload capacity and a hefty setup charge.

What size of pipe would your need to make this a realistic proposition?

Why is SDSL so much more expensive, is it BT protecting their leased line income or something I'm not aware of?

[LaurenceFrost]

SDSL is intended more for virtual private networks, where data needs to flow in either direction at a good speed.

Most ADSL setups give a 256 kbit/sec upload speed. I recently upgraded from 512 to 1Mbit, but the upload speed stayed the same at 256kb.

[john_p]

The kit required to supply ADSL and SDSL is different. SDSL requires dedicated equipment to be installed into a private room rented by your ISP in your BT Exchange (as part of "Local Loop Unbundling"). If you only have a handful of SDSL customers in an exchange then the money for this kit (and the bandwidth, and the connection back to the ISP's network) has to be paid back somehow!

I'd assume BT also make extra charges for the SDSL to be put onto one of "their" telephone lines.

It is certainly a competitor to leased lines so that probably does influence the price as well.


>> Edited by john_p on Friday 19th November 12:58