What type of DSL provides different speeds for downloading and uploading data?

Asymmetric DSL (ADSL) is designed to provide different speeds for downloading and uploading data. This means that it allows users to download data at a much higher speed compared to the upload speed, which is particularly beneficial for applications that require more downstream bandwidth, such as streaming video or browsing the web.

ADSL takes advantage of the fact that most consumer internet usage is heavier in the download direction. Therefore, the technology optimizes for this traffic pattern by allocating more bandwidth to downloads, resulting in slower upload speeds. This imbalance is particularly useful in home and small office settings where users typically download more content than they upload.

In contrast, other types of DSL, such as Symmetric DSL (SDSL), provide equal speeds for both downloading and uploading, which is not the case with ADSL. VDSL and general DSL also have different characteristics, but the key differentiator for ADSL is its focus on providing higher download speeds while maintaining lower upload speeds.