How can I find the best DSL ISP (internet service provider) in my area?

[efflandt]

Regardless of which DSL provider you choose, it will go through the phone lines of your local phone company. So that phone company would usually provide the best service. They might not give you a closer connection when using a different DSL provider.

For example when I first got DSL (Ameritech, which merged with SBC, which merged back with AT&T) my apartment was probably around 11,000 wire feet from the central office (CO). When I bought a home near there I was about 12,000 ft from CO. They kept trying to sell me faster service, when they could only give me 1.5 Mbps download at that distance. Eventually I asked them why and their sales thought I was on a nearby RT (remote terminal). So I got my line moved to the RT under 1600 ft and now have their fastest 6.0 Mbps DSL service.

Although, AT&T has Uverse and Verizon has FIOS which may be able to get a faster connection than regular DSL if available there.