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 ADSL has been largely superseded by fiber and cable technologies.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 the layer where mobile devices attach to the operator's infrastructure. Attacks in this layer include IMSI catching, rogue base stations, downgrade attacks and jamming, and defenses hinge on mutual authentication, integrity-protected signaling and Open RAN supply-chain hygiene.

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

To place ADSL in the wider telecom-security picture, review DSL, FDD, MCC, NB-IoT, DOCSIS and TAC.

Related terms

Related topic hubs

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.