To give you an idea of the speeds, a typical 4 Mb movie trailer would take 21 minutes to download over a 28.8K connection. That same video clip would download in 1 min, 40 secs with a 384Kbps DSL connection, and under a minute at 768Kpbs!

The great appeal of DSL is its universal access, and that it's "always on," meaning no more dialing, connecting, verifying account info, etc. You don't need a cable connection, and it's everywhere a phone is. Well, sort of. DSL is distance sensitive, meaning that it only works over relatively short distances. Typically, you have to be within about 12,000 feet of your CO. And the phone line has to be pretty noise-free. The closer you are to the CO, the higher speed connection you can have. If ordered from your local phone company, they can use the same wire as your regular phone, and neither service will interfere with the other. If you use another provider, and there are many, you'll generally have to have an additional wire installed just for the DSL service (tariff regulations, you know).

Expect to wait 15-30 days from the order date until your service is ready for use. Also, you'll need an Ethernet network card installed in your computer (most providers will do that for you, for a small additional fee).

If you're considering DSL service, be sure to check out the many providers via the Web. Prices vary tremendously, and generally you'll find a money-saving special or two.

The Internet Tax Freedom Act passed last year bans any taxation of Internet access, but does not apply to telecommunications services. Why is that important? Well, the door is open for states to tax Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) as a telecommunication service, especially since DSL is used for other services such as credit card authorizations and the like. At least one phone company is hedging its bets. Bell Atlantic is close to creating an escrow fund in anticipation of possible state taxation on its DSL service. Will the Tax Man win? Stay tuned.

A General Accounting Office (GAO) study reports that government and corporate computer networks are increasingly vulnerable to saboteurs, crooks, and "rogue" nations. It warned that "threats of severe disruption and challenges to data integrity will continue long after the Y2K problem has been solved." So what will Congress do? Study the report and issue recommendations later.