Frequently Asked Questions (F. A. Q.)

What is ADSL?
ADSL ("Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line") is a type of DSL. It works by splitting your existing telephone line signal into two, one for voice and the other for data. ADSL technology in Gibraltar works at 512Kbps or 256Kbps download. Upload speed is 128Kbps or 256Kbps hence this is why it is "asymmetric", because the download speed is different to the upload speed.

With ADSL you can surf at high speeds and talk at the same time, but best of all its an always on connection. This means you can be connected to the Internet for as long as you like and not have to worry about expensive phone bills. Your Internet use will not effect your incoming and out going calls so there is no longer a need for a separate line.

You can find a clearer explanation at What Is ADSL?

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How does ADSL work?
ADSL works by splitting your existing telephone line signal into two, one for voice and the other for data. This means you can surf the Internet and chat on your phone at the same time.

You can find a clearer explanation at What Is ADSL?

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I already have a GibNet account, can I use this?
If you already have a GibNet Dial-Up Account you can upgrade this to an ADSL Account. This means that you would keep your existing login name, password, e-mail address, etc except that you would connect to GibNet via ADSL instead of a normal telephone line and modem.

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Can I have an ADSL line and a Dial-Up Connection?
An ADSL line is fixed to one particular telephone line. This means that, if you only have an ADSL account, you can only connect to GibNet from the telephone line where the ADSL is installed - you can't use a modem to connect to GibNet from another telephone line.

However, because we recognise that ADSL customers may also require the ability to connect to the Internet using a modem over a standard telephone line, we have introduced an Additional Dial-Up Login. This is a Dial-Up connection in Addition to your ADSL connection, it costs £10 per month (or £100 per annum) and it allows you to connect using the same login name, password, e-mail address, etc as your ADSL connection.

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Do I require a new telephone line in order to use ADSL?
No. ADSL will work over your existing telephone line whilst allowing you to continue using it as normal. In other words, you can surf the Internet and have a telephone conversation at the same time over the same telephone line. This also means that if you currently have a second telephone line (or teen line) which you only use for connecting to the Internet, you can apply for the ADSL connection on your main telephone line and cancel the second/teen line which will save you the expense of the extra line rental.

If, however, you don't currently have a telephone line at all, then you will obviously require a new telephone line!

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I have an ISDN line, can I use it?
An ISDN line can not be used for ADSL. If you want to convert your current ISDN line to an ADSL line it will be converted to a standard telephone line first.

There are a couple of options you have. If you are using your ISDN line only for connecting to the Internet, then the best thing to do may be to have ADSL installed on your normal telephone line and cancel your ISDN line. It would be quite pointless to convert your ISDN line to a normal telephone line just for the ADSL when ADSL will work perfectly well on another of your existing lines.

If, however, you use your ISDN line for other purposes (for example, sending data to a third party) then you should install ADSL on another of your telephone lines allowing you to keep your ISDN line.

Of course, if the ISDN line is the only telephone line you have then you will have to either convert it to a normal telephone line or apply for a second telephone line on which you could then install ADSL.

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How will ADSL affect my regular phone calls?
ADSL will not affect your regular phone calls at all. ADSL simply allows you to use your telephone as normal at the same time as your computer is connected to GibNet. There will be an extra fixed monthly fee on your telephone bill for the ADSL service, but your telephone line and the calls you make are treated and priced the same as if you didn't have ADSL at all.

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Can I keep my existing e-mail address and website?
If you upgrade your current GibNet account to an ADSL account, your login name, e-mail address, website, etc will remain exactly the same. The only change will be the way you connect to us which will change from a dial-up service to ADSL.

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What do I require in order to use ADSL?
You require a PC with Windows 98 or higher, or a Mac with OS 8.6 or higher. The modem supplied with the ADSL package requires that your PC also has a USB port.

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I do not have a USB port on my PC, what can I do?
If your PC does not include a USB port you have a couple of options. The cheapest option may be to purchase a USB card which you can install in your PC and would provide you with at least a couple of USB ports.

If you have a network card installed on your computer, or you want to connect your network to the ADSL line rather than just a single PC, then you'll need an ADSL router, and this would include network ports rather than a USB port.

However, if you only want to connect a single PC which has a network connector, it may still be cheaper to purchase a USB card then to purchase an ADSL router.

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Can I install the ADSL myself?
Once Gibtelecom have installed ADSL on your telephone line, we will supply you with a modem and the software you need to install to set up the ADSL on your computer yourself.

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I need help installing my ADSL connection, who can help me?
If you have difficulty installing the ADSL software on your computer you can ask for an Onsite Installation in which we arrange for a technician to visit you and set you up. This service costs £50.