Gigabit per second to Kilobit per second Conversion Calculator: Free Online Tool
Convert gigabits per second to kilobits per second with our free online data transfer converter.
Gigabit per second to Kilobit per second Calculator
How to Use the Calculator:
- Enter the value you want to convert in the 'From' field (Gigabit per second).
- The converted value in Kilobit per second will appear automatically in the 'To' field.
- Use the dropdown menus to select different units within the Data Transfer category.
- Click the swap button (⇌) to reverse the conversion direction.
How to Convert Gigabit per second to Kilobit per second
Converting Gigabit per second to Kilobit per second involves multiplying the value by a specific conversion factor, as shown in the formula below.
Formula:
1 Gigabit per second = 1000000 kilobits per secondExample Calculation:
Convert 1000 gigabits per second: 1000 × 1000000 = 1000000000 kilobits per second
Disclaimer: For Reference Only
These conversion results are provided for informational purposes only. While we strive for accuracy, we make no guarantees regarding the precision of these results, especially for conversions involving extremely large or small numbers which may be subject to the inherent limitations of standard computer floating-point arithmetic.
Not for professional use. Results should be verified before use in any critical application. View our Terms of Service for more information.
What is a Gigabit per second and a Kilobit per second?
A gigabit per second (Gbps or Gbit/s) is a unit of data transfer rate equal to 1,000,000,000 bits per second, 1,000 megabits per second, or 1 million kilobits per second. It uses the standard SI prefix "giga-" (G), which represents a factor of 109 or one billion.
A kilobit per second (kbps or kbit/s) is a unit of data transfer rate equal to 1,000 bits per second. It uses the standard SI prefix "kilo-" (k), which represents a factor of 103 or one thousand.
Note: The Gigabit per second is part of the imperial/US customary system, primarily used in the US, UK, and Canada for everyday measurements. The Kilobit per second belongs to the imperial/US customary system.
History of the Gigabit per second and Kilobit per second
Gigabit per second speeds became prominent with the development of Gigabit Ethernet standards (like 1000BASE-T) in the late 1990s and early 2000s, significantly increasing local network speeds. The proliferation of fiber optic internet connections (FTTH - Fiber to the Home) further established Gbps as a common measure for high-speed internet access for consumers and businesses. Like its predecessors (kbps, Mbps), the prefix "giga-" in data transfer rates consistently refers to the decimal value (1,000,000,000), maintaining clarity compared to the binary/decimal ambiguity sometimes found in data storage units (GB vs GiB).
The term "kilobit per second" became common with the rise of digital telecommunications and computer networking. Unlike data storage units (like the kilobyte), where "kilo" was sometimes ambiguously used to mean 1024, in the context of data transmission rates, "kilo" has consistently adhered to the standard SI definition of 1000. This standardization was crucial for interoperability between different network equipment and service providers.
Common Uses for gigabits per second and kilobits per second
Explore the typical applications for both Gigabit per second (imperial/US) and Kilobit per second (imperial/US) to understand their common contexts.
Common Uses for gigabits per second
Gigabits per second (Gbps) is used to measure very high data transfer rates:
- High-Speed Internet: Fiber optic internet plans commonly offer speeds of 1 Gbps or higher.
- Local Area Network (LAN) Backbones: Used for high-traffic links within corporate networks or data centers.
- Data Center Networking: Standard for server-to-server communication and connections to storage area networks (SANs).
- Network Switches and Routers: High-performance network hardware often has ports rated in Gbps (e.g., 1 Gbps, 10 Gbps, 40 Gbps, 100 Gbps).
- High-Definition Video Transfer: Transferring large video files or streaming multiple high-resolution video streams.
Common Uses for kilobits per second
Kilobits per second (kbps) is frequently used to measure the speed of data communication links:
- Internet Connection Speeds: Historically used for dial-up modems, ISDN lines, and early broadband services. Still relevant for some mobile data connections or lower-tier internet plans.
- Audio Streaming: Measuring the bitrate (quality) of compressed audio files like MP3s (e.g., 128 kbps, 192 kbps, 320 kbps). Higher kbps generally means better audio quality but larger file size.
- Voice Communication: Used in telephony and Voice over IP (VoIP) systems to specify the bandwidth required for a voice call.
- Low-Bandwidth Video: Bitrates for very low-resolution or highly compressed video streams.
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions About Gigabit per second (Gbps)
How many bits per second (bps) are in a gigabit per second (Gbps)?
There are exactly 1,000,000,000 bits per second (bps) in 1 gigabit per second (Gbps). This follows the standard SI definition of the prefix 'giga-'.
How many megabits per second (Mbps) are in a gigabit per second (Gbps)?
There are exactly 1,000 megabits per second (Mbps) in 1 gigabit per second (Gbps).
What is the difference between Gbps (gigabits per second) and GB/s (Gigabytes per second)?
These units measure data transfer rate differently:
- Gbps (gigabits per second): Measures the rate in bits. Standard for advertising network speeds, especially high-speed internet and network hardware capabilities.
- GB/s (Gigabytes per second): Measures the rate in bytes. Often used to describe the throughput of very high-speed interfaces like PCIe buses, fast SSDs, or high-performance computing interconnects.
Since 1 byte = 8 bits: 1 GB/s = 8 Gbps Therefore, a speed expressed in GB/s is 8 times faster than the same number expressed in Gbps. For example, a network speed of 10 Gbps has a theoretical maximum transfer rate of 1.25 GB/s (10 / 8 = 1.25).
Is Gbps related to Gibibits (Gib)?
While both use the 'giga'/'gibi' scale, they differ significantly:
- Gbps (Gigabit per second): A rate based on decimal gigabits (1 Gb = 109 bits = 1,000,000,000 bits). Used for data transfer speeds.
- Gib (Gibibit): A unit of data storage based on binary prefixes (1 Gib = 230 bits = 1,073,741,824 bits). Used for precise memory/storage measurement. A "Gibibit per second" (Gibps) is not a standard unit for data transfer rates, which consistently use decimal prefixes.
Is Gbps based on 1,000,000,000 or 1,073,741,824 bits?
Gigabits per second (Gbps) is always based on the decimal prefix 'giga-', meaning 1,000,000,000 bits per second. Data transfer rates (bps, kbps, Mbps, Gbps, Tbps) consistently use the standard SI decimal prefixes (powers of 1000). The binary multiple (230 = 1,073,741,824) relates to data storage units like the Gibibyte (GiB) or Gibibit (Gib).
About Kilobit per second (Kbps)
How many bits per second (bps) are in a kilobit per second (kbps)?
There are exactly 1,000 bits per second (bps) in 1 kilobit per second (kbps). This follows the standard SI definition of the prefix 'kilo-'.
What is the difference between kbps and Mbps?
Mbps (Megabit per second) is a larger unit of data transfer rate.
- 1 kbps = 1,000 bps
- 1 Mbps = 1,000 kbps = 1,000,000 bps Therefore, 1 Mbps is 1,000 times faster than 1 kbps. Modern internet speeds are typically measured in Mbps or even Gbps (Gigabit per second).
What is the difference between kbps (kilobits per second) and KB/s (Kilobytes per second)?
These units measure different things, although both relate to data speed:
- kbps (kilobits per second): Measures the rate of transfer in bits. Used commonly for network speeds and streaming bitrates.
- KB/s (Kilobytes per second): Measures the rate of transfer in bytes. Often used for file download speeds shown in browsers or download managers.
Since 1 byte = 8 bits: 1 KB/s = 8 kbps Therefore, a speed expressed in KB/s is 8 times faster than the same number expressed in kbps. For example, a download speed of 100 KB/s is equivalent to 800 kbps.
Is kbps based on 1000 or 1024 bits?
Kilobits per second (kbps) is always based on the decimal prefix 'kilo-', meaning 1000 bits per second. Unlike the historical ambiguity with kilobytes (KB) in data storage (which sometimes meant 1024 bytes, correctly KiB), data transfer rates like kbps, Mbps, and Gbps consistently use the standard SI decimal prefixes (powers of 1000).
Conversion Table: Gigabit per second to Kilobit per second
| Gigabit per second (Gbps) | Kilobit per second (Kbps) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1,000,000 |
| 5 | 5,000,000 |
| 10 | 10,000,000 |
| 25 | 25,000,000 |
| 50 | 50,000,000 |
| 100 | 100,000,000 |
| 500 | 500,000,000 |
| 1,000 | 1,000,000,000 |