Megabit per second to Bit per second Conversion Calculator: Free Online Tool
Convert megabits per second to bits per second with our free online data transfer converter.
Megabit per second to Bit per second Calculator
How to Use the Calculator:
- Enter the value you want to convert in the 'From' field (Megabit per second).
- The converted value in Bit 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 Megabit per second to Bit per second
Converting Megabit per second to Bit per second involves multiplying the value by a specific conversion factor, as shown in the formula below.
Formula:
1 Megabit per second = 1000000 bits per secondExample Calculation:
Convert 1000 megabits per second: 1000 × 1000000 = 1000000000 bits 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 Megabit per second and a Bit per second?
A megabit per second (Mbps or Mbit/s) is a unit of data transfer rate equal to 1,000,000 bits per second or 1,000 kilobits per second. It uses the standard SI prefix "mega-" (M), which represents a factor of 106 or one million.
A bit per second (bps or b/s) is the fundamental unit used to measure data transfer rate (also known as bitrate or bandwidth). It quantifies the number of individual bits (the smallest unit of digital information, a 0 or 1) that are transmitted or processed over a communication channel in one second.
Note: The Megabit per second is part of the imperial/US customary system, primarily used in the US, UK, and Canada for everyday measurements. The Bit per second belongs to the imperial/US customary system.
History of the Megabit per second and Bit per second
The megabit per second became a common unit with the widespread adoption of broadband internet technologies (like DSL and cable) and faster local area network standards such as Fast Ethernet (100 Mbps) in the late 1990s and early 2000s. As internet speeds and network capacities increased beyond the kilobit range, Mbps provided a more convenient measure. Like kbps, the prefix "mega-" in data transfer rates consistently refers to the decimal value (1,000,000), avoiding the binary confusion sometimes seen with data storage units (MB vs MiB).
The concept of measuring data transmission speed in bits per second arose with the advent of digital communications and computing. Early telecommunication systems, like telegraphy and teletypewriters, used related measures like baud rate (symbols per second). As digital technology evolved, focusing on the actual number of bits transferred became more precise and standard, leading to the widespread adoption of bps and its multiples (kbps, Mbps, Gbps) for quantifying network speeds, internet connections, and data throughput.
Common Uses for megabits per second and bits per second
Explore the typical applications for both Megabit per second (imperial/US) and Bit per second (imperial/US) to understand their common contexts.
Common Uses for megabits per second
Megabits per second (Mbps) is the standard unit for measuring many modern data communication speeds:
- Internet Connection Speeds: Most broadband, cable, fiber optic, and mobile (4G/5G) internet plans are advertised in Mbps.
- Wi-Fi Network Speeds: Wireless router capabilities and actual throughput are often measured in Mbps.
- Video Streaming: Required bandwidth for streaming services is specified in Mbps (e.g., ~5 Mbps for HD, ~25 Mbps for 4K).
- File Downloads/Uploads: Network transfer speeds during large file transfers are typically monitored in Mbps (though applications might display MB/s).
- Local Area Network (LAN) Speeds: Common Ethernet standards operate at 100 Mbps (Fast Ethernet) or 1000 Mbps (Gigabit Ethernet).
Common Uses for bits per second
- Base Unit: Serves as the foundational unit for all other data transfer rate measurements (kbps, Mbps, Gbps, Tbps).
- Low-Speed Communication: Historically used to describe the speeds of early modems (e.g., 300 bps, 1200 bps, 2400 bps).
- Serial Interfaces: Sometimes used to specify the speed of basic serial communication ports (though higher rates are now common).
- Audio/Video Encoding: Bitrates for low-quality audio or specific encoding parameters might be expressed directly in bps or kbps.
- Theoretical Calculations: Used in networking and information theory calculations as the base unit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions About Megabit per second (Mbps)
How many bits per second (bps) are in a megabit per second (Mbps)?
There are exactly 1,000,000 bits per second (bps) in 1 megabit per second (Mbps). This follows the standard SI definition of the prefix 'mega-'.
What is the difference between Mbps and Gbps?
Gbps (Gigabit per second) is a larger unit of data transfer rate.
- 1 Mbps = 1,000,000 bps
- 1 Gbps = 1,000 Mbps = 1,000,000,000 bps Therefore, 1 Gbps is 1,000 times faster than 1 Mbps. High-speed internet connections and network backbones are often measured in Gbps.
What is the difference between Mbps (megabits per second) and MB/s (Megabytes per second)?
These units measure data transfer rate differently:
- Mbps (megabits per second): Measures the rate in bits. Standard for advertising network speeds and connection bandwidth.
- MB/s (Megabytes per second): Measures the rate in bytes. Often used by software (like browsers, download managers) to show actual file transfer speeds.
Since 1 byte = 8 bits: 1 MB/s = 8 Mbps Therefore, a speed expressed in MB/s is 8 times faster than the same number expressed in Mbps. For example, an internet connection of 100 Mbps has a theoretical maximum download speed of 12.5 MB/s (100 / 8 = 12.5).
Is Mbps based on 1,000,000 or 1,048,576 bits?
Megabits per second (Mbps) is always based on the decimal prefix 'mega-', meaning 1,000,000 bits per second. Data transfer rates (bps, kbps, Mbps, Gbps) consistently use the standard SI decimal prefixes (powers of 1000). The binary multiple (220 = 1,048,576) relates to data storage units like the Mebibyte (MiB).
About Bit per second (bps)
What is the difference between bps (bits per second) and Bps (Bytes per second)?
- bps (bits per second): Measures the rate of data transfer in individual bits. Network speeds and internet connection bandwidth are almost always advertised in bits per second (or its multiples like Mbps, Gbps).
- Bps (Bytes per second): Measures the rate of data transfer in Bytes (where 1 Byte = 8 bits). File transfer speeds in applications (like web browsers or FTP clients) are often displayed in Bytes per second (or its multiples like KB/s, MB/s). To convert Bps to bps, multiply by 8. To convert bps to Bps, divide by 8. For example, a 100 Mbps internet connection has a theoretical maximum download speed of 12.5 MB/s (100 / 8 = 12.5).
How does bps relate to kbps, Mbps, and Gbps?
These are multiples of bits per second based on SI (decimal) prefixes:
- 1 kbps (kilobit per second) = 1,000 bps
- 1 Mbps (megabit per second) = 1,000 kbps = 1,000,000 bps
- 1 Gbps (gigabit per second) = 1,000 Mbps = 1,000,000,000 bps
- 1 Tbps (terabit per second) = 1,000 Gbps = 1,000,000,000,000 bps
Is bps used for binary prefixes (like kibibits)?
No, data transfer rates almost universally use the standard SI decimal prefixes (kilo, mega, giga). While data storage often involves binary prefixes (kibibyte, mebibyte), data transfer rates stick to the decimal system (kilobit, megabit). So, 1 kbps is always 1000 bps, not 1024 bps.
Conversion Table: Megabit per second to Bit per second
| Megabit per second (Mbps) | Bit per second (bps) |
|---|---|
| 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 |