Broadband or ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) is a technology for transmitting digital information at high bandwidths on existing phone lines.  Unlike regular dial-up phone service, ADSL provides a continously-available connection.  ADSL is asymmetric in that it uses most of the channel to transmit downstream to the user and only a small part to receive information from the user.  ADSL simultaneously accommodates analog (voice) information on the same line.  ADSL is generally offered at downstream data rates from 512 Kbps to about 8 Mbps and beyond.