DSL vs U-Verse
Buzzwords are often difficult for people to grasp, simply because they are different from the ones we are already used to. Take for example U-Verse, a service being provided by AT&T. Since it provides an internet connection, many are confused on how it compares to typical DSL lines. The truth is U-Verse is simply a package of services that users can subscribe to. At the core of U-Verse is a broadband connection that utilizes DSL technologies; namely, ADSL2+ and VDSL. Subscribers can choose from a variety of plans that range from a lowly 768kbps to a super-fast 24mbps connection. So, if you are wondering if U-Verse and DSL are different, they are not. U-Verse still uses DSL technologies.
Other services that you can get from U-Verse are the TV and voice services. The TV service is pretty much just like your cable service but instead of passing through traditional channels, the U-Verse TV service uses the IP network to transmit the video and audio to your home. It uses the H.264 encoding, which can greatly compress the video to minimize the bandwidth consumed by the video and audio stream. AT&T manages to do this because not all the channels are transmitted to your box, unlike other cable TV technologies. Only the channel being viewed by the user is actively being streamed. Not all U-Verse subscribers can have the U-Verse TV though as it is only available in areas with VDSL coverage.
The last service is U-Verse Voice. This is a telephony service but instead of the typical PSTN phones, AT&T uses VoIP as like the TV service, the signals are transmitted across the digital medium. AT&T handles the switching of the phone and it can be called from other phones without subscribing to a VoIP service.
If you are subscribed to both U-Verse TV and U-Verse Voice, you get an additional functionality that would not be present otherwise. You can use your TV to browse through certain phone functionalities. You can see your history, including outgoing, incoming, and even missed calls. You can also initiate a phone call by simply clicking on the entry.
Summary:
1.U-Verse is just a package that includes a DSL connection
2.U-Verse can provide integrated voice and TV functionalities which DSL cannot