And is True Internet (DSL?) the best of the bunch if available in my area (Nong Khai)? Thanks for advice.

DSL and ADSL are interchangable acronyms, they're both the same thing.

ISDN gives you symetric data transefer. In other words you can send as fast as you can recieve.

ADSL gives you asymetric data transfer (You can recieve at a much higher rate than you send)

ISDN lines are most often limited to 128kbps where DSL can see over 1000kbs from DSL on downloads. The DSL connections are rarely faster on upload than ISDN. Most places using ISDN are places like radio stations who need high quality voice communications between two points, and even that will fade out as VOIP is improving.

The way DSL works is by occupying the spectrum in your phone wires that aren't used by voice communications. This allows you to use your phone and internet at the same time by simply installing filters that you plug between the phone line and any telephones. The internet traffic and telephone traffic then co-exist on the same line much the same as how two televisions tuned to different stations can be connected to one cable or antenna.

One disadvantage to DSL is that the speed diminishes as you get further from the telephone exchange where it originates from. After about 4km the speed is virtually nil.

The Phone number for True in Nong Khai (after rambling on I finally get to the point) is 0-4246-7477

Wow, thanks, great reply.

DSL and ADSL are interchangable acronyms, they're both the same thing.

ISDN gives you symetric data transefer. In other words you can send as fast as you can recieve.

ADSL gives you asymetric data transfer (You can recieve at a much higher rate than you send)...

Although this thread is 4 years old, I feel the need to correct the erroneous first sentence.

ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) and DSL are not interchangeable acronyms, and are NOT the same thing functionally, although based on the same physical layer. The 'A' in ADSL stands for asymmetric, meaning that upload and download speeds are not the same, with download speeds (usually) much greater than upload speeds. This serves clients acceptably well, since MOST do not upload large volumes of data.

DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) service implies symmetrical upload and download speeds, which is mostly useful to operators of web, or other data, servers, since they often have multiple clients connected, and need large upload and download speeds.

ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) is a much older voice/data signalling and transmission system, and plays little, if any, role in modern internet service. 10 - 12 years ago, it was the cat's ass...

Now, if I can only find a reliable ISP, with even a string-and-tin-can connection, here in Nong Khai, I can stop reading these old threads...