Data Rate Converter
Bits per second
Definition: Bits per second (symbol: bps or b/s) is the fundamental unit of data transfer rate. It measures the number of bits (zeros and ones) transmitted over a digital network in one second.
History/origin: Measuring data transmission in bits per second dates back to the very early days of computing and telecommunications, forming the basis for assessing modem speeds and network bandwidth.
Current use: While a single bit per second is too slow for practical use today, it remains the mathematical base unit from which all modern network speeds (Kbps, Mbps, Gbps) are calculated.
Megabits per second
Definition: A megabit per second (symbol: Mbps) is a unit of data transfer rate equal to 1,000,000 bits per second (or 1,000 kilobits per second).
History/origin: The Mbps metric became mainstream with the advent of broadband internet (DSL and Cable) in the early 2000s, replacing kbps as the standard for consumer internet speeds.
Current use: Mbps is the globally recognized standard used by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to advertise download and upload speeds for home and mobile networks (e.g., 4G LTE).
Bits per second to Megabits per second Conversion Table
| Bits per second [bps] | Megabits per second [mbps] |
|---|---|
| 0.01 bps | 0.00000001 mbps |
| 0.1 bps | 0.0000001 mbps |
| 1 bps | 0.000001 mbps |
| 2 bps | 0.000002 mbps |
| 3 bps | 0.000003 mbps |
| 5 bps | 0.000005 mbps |
| 10 bps | 0.00001 mbps |
| 20 bps | 0.00002 mbps |
| 50 bps | 0.00005 mbps |
| 100 bps | 0.0001 mbps |
| 1000 bps | 0.001 mbps |
How to Convert Bits per second to Megabits per second
1 bps = 0.000001 mbps
1 mbps = 1000000 bps
Example: convert 15 bps to mbps:
15 bps = 15 × 0.000001 mbps = 0.000015 mbps
Did You Know?
- The term "bit" is a portmanteau of "binary digit." It is the most basic unit of information in computing, representing either a 0 or a 1.
- Did you know? Internet Service Providers (ISPs) advertise speeds in Megabits (Mbps), but web browsers show downloads in Megabytes (MB/s). Since 1 Byte = 8 bits, a 100 Mbps connection actually downloads at 12.5 MB/s maximum!