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DSL "can do" much higher than that. In my area, AT&T offers 1.5MB/s,
3.0MB/s, and 6.0MB/s (we have the latter and get around 5.0MB/s consistently), and I believe there are higher speed offerings in some areas either now or planned in the future. Which tiers are available does depend on how far you are from the DSLAM, which might be in a box down the street or in a central office.The cable ads that compare their "fast" service against "slow" DSL are misleading when they compare against 1.5MB/s DSL, since in many areas much faster DSL that's comparable in raw speed to cable is available and cheaper than the cable service. Just because DSL offers a lower speed at an even lower price (which is a good tradeoff for many people that cable usually doesn't even offer) doesn't mean that it's always "slow".
It's like going to one gas station that only has premium gas (which you may or may not need), and then complaining that the station across town that has all 3 grades (with their premium cheaper than the first station) is lower octane. .
Not that cable isn't sometimes a better choice for service/speed/cost, but not always.
Josh