DSL transmission rates are only minimally affected by high temperatures.
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Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) broadband service is a type of high-speed Internet technology in which data is delivered over telephone wires. The telephone wires are usually made of copper, which is known for its excellent thermal conductivity. DSL service is only minimally affected by high temperatures. The temperature variations in service are mainly due to the effects of heat on the copper wires. The major results of an increase in temperature are signal distortion and noise on the line. These are not usually considered significant factors in the quality of service you should expect from your DSL broadband service.
DSL
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) Internet technologies use twisted copper wires to transmit signals over a telephone network. DSL service is usually delivered by a telephone company and requires a land line rental. You can use the telephone and the Internet at the same time, as the two sets of signals use different channels. You will need a special modem to convert the signals into a format that your computer can understand and back into a format that can be transmitted to the telephone exchange.
Studies
There are many different variations of DSL. The effects of heat on DSL service have been studied on high bit rate digital subscriber line (HDSL), which is a type of high-speed DSL. According to the scientific paper, "The HDSL Environment" by Jean-Jacques Werner, thermal variations and thermal noise are listed among the less important impairments to be considered in the provision of HDSL service.
Temperature
A change of temperature causes a change in the resistance and inductance properties of the copper wires over which the DSL signal is transmitted. This causes delays in the transmission of the signal. The severity of the delay depends on the frequency at which the signal is being transmitted when the temperature variation occurs, with greater delays being observed at lower frequencies.
Noise
Increased temperatures result in increased thermal noise on DSL lines due to a concept called Brownian Motion. This means that the electrons in the copper wires move about more and generate interference, or noise, in the process. The amount of thermal noise on the wires is not usually considered a major factor affecting the DSL broadband service you receive at home.
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Photo Credits
- Chad Baker/Photodisc/Getty Images
