Stands for "Very high bit rate Digital Subscriber Line." VDSL (sometimes called "VHDSL") is a DSL standard that provides high speed Internet access. It is an improved version of ADSL (asymmetric DSL) that offers download speeds of up to 52 Mbps (6.5 megabytes per second) and upload speeds up to 16 Mbps (2 megabytes per second).
Like previous DSL standards, VDSL operates over copper wires and can be deployed over existing telephone wiring. This means an ISP can provide VDSL Internet access to users as long as they have a landline and are located within a specific proximity required by the ISP. The connection is established through a VDSL modem, which connects to a computer or router on one end a telephone outlet on the other.
VDSL was developed to support the high bandwidth requirements of HDTV, media streaming, and VoIP connections. By providing downstream transmission rates of over 50 Mbps, VDSL has enough bandwidth to support all of these connections simultaneously. This fast data transfer rate also allows VDSL to compete with cable Internet providers, which have historically offered faster Internet access speeds.
The first version of VDSL (ITU standard G.993.1) was approved in 2004 and is still commonly offered by Internet service providers. However, an updated version called VDSL2 (ITU standard G.993.2) was introduced in 2006 and offers symmetric download and upload speeds of 100 Mbps. VDSL2 is typically provided to businesses and other organizations that require high-speed connections for multiple systems.