The counterpart to the customer's DSL CPEis in the Swisscom DSLAM (Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer) exchange. This is where the maximum possible bandwidth is set up based on the length of the connection line. This is called the Access Profile and defines the connection and its speed. The Access Profile can be displayed by the CPE.

The various DSL products for residential and business customers are called Service Profiles. They are set up in the BRAS (Broad Band Remote Access Server) and correspond to the speed ordered for the line. The Service Profile speed corresponds to the usable bandwidth. For example, a 20000/3000 kbit/s Service Profile means that it can downstream 20000 kbit/s and upstream 3000 kbit/s. The Service Profile can also be defined as a Max Profile.

If a Max Profile is defined, the line can upstream and downstream at the respective highest possible bandwidths. For example, with Max 5000/500, end customers can download at a maximum 5000 kbit/s. The maximum achievable transfer rate depends on the total length of the connection between the Swisscom exchange and the end customer's location, as well as the quality of the infrastructure in place.

The effectively usable bandwidth for the end customer depends on the ordered line profile and service profile.

Customer A orders the Max 5000/500 Service Profile. He lives relatively far from the Swisscom exchange. The maximum possible Access Profile on the DSLAM is 3000/400 kbit/s. As a result, the effectively usable bandwidth cannot exceed this value of 3000/400 kbit/s.

Customer B orders the Max 5000/500 Service Profile. He lives relatively close to the Swisscom exchange. The maximum possible Access Profile on the DSLAM is 30000/10000 kbit/s. As a result, the effectively usable bandwidth exactly corresponds to the ordered Max 5000/500.