ADSL stands for Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. In a nutshell it's a way of connecting broadband to a landline which uses copper cables.

This type of broadband connection is through your BT landline. It is popular because wherever there is a BT landline in the UK, the customer should be able to get some sort of internet access via ADSL broadband. If you have a BT landline you don't need to have any extra cables put into your home or have your garden dug up because the copper cables are already in place.

Speeds of up to 20Mbps are just about as fast as you can currently get on an ADSL broadband connection via your BT landline.

For ADSL broadband to work you must install a device known as an ADSL filter into all of your working phone sockets. The ADSL filter (or microfilter) separates the ADSL signal from the voice transmissions on your landline. This effectively enables you to use broadband internet and make a home phone call at the same time using your landline telephone.

You need to make sure that every working landline telephone socket has an ADSL filter plugged into it. This is to ensure your broadband connection works properly and there is no interference such as noise on your telephone line.

All of the main broadband providers offer ADSL broadband in the UK such as BT, Sky and Tiscali (now part of TalkTalk).

It is one of the easiest ways to connect to broadband services and broadband providers offer many ADSL broadband deals, such as home phone and broadband deals which could save you money if you have all your services from one broadband provider.

An alternative to ADSL broadband is cable broadband.

This broadband delivery method is widely used by Virgin Media in the UK. Virgin Media doesn't just use any old cable to deliver your broadband, they use fibre optic cables.

These magic cables are able to deliver broadband speeds of up to 50Mbps.  However Virgin Media cable doesn't cover the whole of the UK, so you may not get the service if you live outside urban areas where Virgin Media cable is more common.

One downside to cable broadband is that you have to get new cables installed into your home in order to receive the broadband service. It's not all that bad though, the Virgin Media installers will make sure they tell you exactly where the cables will go and what they need to do.

A plus side is that Virgin Media can offer many broadband packages which include on-demand digital TV and home phone services.