IN a continued effort to upgrade and improve their Internet service provision, Cable and Wireless Jamaica introduced the Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) to residential and commercial Internet users in western Jamaica last week.

According to a release from C&WJ, this new technology allows for the transmission of data up to 30 times faster than a regular 56K-modem. It also provides users with high-speed connections of up to 1.544 mega-bytes per second, allowing for almost instant access to websites for news, entertainment and general information.

In addition, the ADSL enables subscribers to make telephone calls and send faxes even as they surf the Internet, without having to disconnect. It also eliminates the connection waiting time that characterizes traditional dial-ups and loads web pages instantly.

Download speeds are also dramatically reduced and users can establish home-to-business, head office-to-branches and home to-school connectivity, as well as video conferencing.

The telecoms giant offers ADSL in three packages which promote a variety of speeds. It will be offered on a phased basis to subscribers served by the company’s exchanges outfitted for this service. The type of package one receives, however, will be dependent on the distance one is located from the exchanges.