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Difference between upload and download from ISP perspective?

http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/3218600708

From looking around, it seems that it is the norm to have a high download speed but low upload speed. But what is the difference to ISPs? From a client perspective, download is receiving data and upload is sending data, but from an ISP's perspective they're sending and receiving data in both directions between the client and the server/other nodes. What difference does it really make to them? I don't understand why it is easier for them to offer a lower upload rate instead of identical upload and download rates.
It is different technologies on the digital subscriber line not the ISP.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_subscriber_line (look at SDSL and ADSL)

my work results...(with others using the link no doubt)
http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/3218709453
RAWR!

http://s27.postimg.org/a3q6tlsjn/speedtest.png

Yeah, I'm at work too. Still, pretty big difference between download and upload.
I've done some looking around on this, and even work as an freakin assistant network admin, and can't seem to find much authoritative reason behind this.
But from what I gather, it's a physical limitation of the medium used to transport the signal. Residential ISPs seem to use asymmetrical mediums to transfer data, which means they can decrease the upload bandwidth in order to increase the download bandwidth.

Other mediums like twisted pair and fiber I believe are symmetrical, at least with my working with them I have never heard of them being asymmetrical. So with these your upload and download will the same. This is why Google Fiber is 1GB up/down. That's how the physical medium works. Inside each bundle of fiber optic is two strands which carries the signal. One for up, one for down. There's no ability to partition there, so having asymmetrical bandwidths for fiber wouldn't even make sense. Coaxial and what not has a range of frequency it can carry data on, so I believe this range can be partitioned out. This is actually how data is carried along the same line as phone, as is the case for DSL.

I don't think it's any 'easier' for ISPs to make the speeds different, but considering most residential traffic is probably download, they just have it setup to accommodate higher download bandwidth.
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