DSL Is Far From Dead

For those who still think digital subscriber line (DSL) technology is being replaced by cable-modem service, some 50 million DSLs are under management globally by one company: Calif.-based ASSIA Inc. According to research firm Point Topic, this is the first time a DSL solutions provider has reached such critical mass, and ASSIA today manages more than 90 percent of U.S. DSL connections.

“ASSIA DSL Expresse remains the only DSL management system globally acknowledged for digital subscriber line access multiplexer (DSLAM) ‘vendor neutrality,’ enabling service providers to manage their heterogeneous DSL equipment effectively,” the company says.

DSL is a $120 billion global service revenue market, and it accounts for 70 percent of the world’s broadband access, according to a Forbes feature last fall.

"ASSIA is taking over the DSL world," says Peter White of London-based Rethink Research. "The company’s growth comes by way of its innovation and original research, in addition to its technology. ASSIA CEO John Cioffi, who pioneered the original DSL market, has more recently pioneered DSL management techniques to remove crosstalk from copper lines, making possible the next generation of 100 Mbps DSL."

Adds Cioffi, "It’s no secret that consumer demand for higher bandwidths and exceptional quality is surging. DSL serves well-over three times the number of cable systems subscribers and over 20 times that of fiber to the home.” 

ASSIA’s strategic investors include AT&T, Mingly China Growth Fund, SFR Development, Sandalwood Partners, Sofinnova Partners, Stanford University, Swisscom Ventures, T-Ventures and Telefonica.