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SHDSL Business DSL is like other Internet products and the speeds available will vary depending on the site the service is to be delivered to.

Assuming the Exchange the customer is serviced by is SHDSL enabled, the main factor that will dictate the available speeds will be distance from the exchange. Other factors that can effect SHDSL speeds are the quality of the copper and network equipment between the exchange and the customer premises.

Ethernet over Copper is the most commonly used method of delivering Business DSL and typically involves bonding up to 8 copper pairs.

Most SHDSL Business DSL services will offer the full advertised speeds only up to around 1km from the exchange. After that point the data speeds drop off dramatically.

For example an AAPT 80Mb service can only be offered indicatively out to 500 metres from the exchange. At 1.25Kms the Max speed being offered is 60Mb and out to 2.8kms the speed is down to 10Mb. This is know as transmission loss.

If the service is delivered over high bandwidth fibre, the transmission loss is not as dramatic. However High Bandwidth fibre is not readily available at all exchanges without large up front construction costs and a lengthy lead time.

Telstra offers a maximum of 10/10mb Business DSL while AAPT offer up to 100Mb/100Mb but the author has never seen those speeds delivered. Speds start at 1mb/1mb on Telstra network and 2mb/2mb on AAPT Midband Ethernet.