ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line)

Broadband technology delivered over standard copper telephone lines enabling simultaneous voice and data transmission. ADSL provides up to 24 Mbps downstream and typically 1-10 Mbps upstream. ADSL has been largely superseded by fiber and cable technologies.

Categories: Radio Access NetworkIdentity and SubscriberProtocols and Standards

ADSL in context

The radio access network is where mobile devices attach to the operator's infrastructure. Attacks in this layer include IMSI catching, rogue base stations and downgrade attacks; defenses rest on mutual authentication, integrity-protected signaling and Open RAN supply-chain hygiene.

Subscriber identifiers (IMSI, SUPI, MSISDN, IMEI) anchor authentication, charging and lawful interception. Any protocol that leaks a permanent identifier is treated as a privacy defect, which is why 5G introduced SUCI concealment on the air interface.

To place ADSL in the wider telecom-security picture, review MCC, NB-IoT, TAC, 2G, 5GNR and 6G — each entry cross-references back to this page so you can walk the topic in either direction.

Related terms

More from the TelcoSec Glossary

Browse the full TelcoSec Glossary, the Ultimate Guide to Mobile Network Security, or the P1 Arsenal of telecom-security tools.