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Difference between Mbits/s and Kbps

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Cynthia -  
 allnui -
Hello!

I'm a bit lost and quite clueless, and I would like to change my internet connection because I'm still (in prehistoric times...) on a low bandwidth. And right now I'm stuck on the difference (if there is one) between Mbits/s and Kbps...
It would help me choose between the different service providers....
If you could shed some light on my little lantern...
Thank you so much!!

Have a great end of the day!!

8 answers

  1.
    teebo Posted messages 33585 Registration date   Status Contributor Last intervention   1 797
     
    Hello,
    Simple, 1 MegaBit per second (Mbits/s) = 1000 kilo bits per second (kbps), after the K being capitalized, it might be a kibi, so not 1000 but 1024 but anyway, it doesn't change much...

    -- 
    I don't like signatures...
    32
    1. xav'(73) Posted messages 394 Status Member 189
       
      Hello,

      Be cautious with the terms, kbps can also mean kilo baud per second, a unit of transmission speed for RTC modems (regular telephone line), which makes it incomparable to ADSL speeds that are expressed in kbps, which multiplied by 1000 give mbps.
      --
      The important thing is not to know the information, but to know where to find it (Albert Einstein)
      0
    2. teebo Posted messages 33585 Registration date   Status Contributor Last intervention   1 797 > xav'(73) Posted messages 394 Status Member
       
      Good point, I was starting to forget the baud rate myself :o)

      -- 
      I don't like signatures...
      0
    3. cynthia > xav'(73) Posted messages 394 Status Member
       
      Thank you, I think these aren't baud rates... It's for a possible ADSL connection (Free etc.), so I think they are megabits. I figured it must be something like that (kilo x1000), but I just prefer to double-check...
      So that means when Free tells me 2048 kbps, it's 2 megabits if I understood the lesson... thanks again.
      0
    4. xav'(73) Posted messages 394 Status Member 189 > cynthia
       
      Mmm, but be careful with Free; they confuse customers with the concept of unbundling, so check their website to see if you’re in a unbundled area
      http://adsl.free.fr/degroup/
      Moreover, the feedback on their speed in sending the box isn’t great... not to mention the unexpected debits even if you no longer have a box...
      So, watch out for false promises.

      See you
      --
      The important thing is not to know the information but to
      know where to find it (Albert Einstein)
      0
    5. sebsauvage Posted messages 33284 Registration date   Status Moderator Last intervention   15 684 > cynthia
       
      yes, 2 Mega-bits per second, but it's a theoretical maximum.
      In practice, we are often below that.

      It's a bit like 56 Kilobits/sec. (56 K) dial-up modems: I challenge you to connect at 56,000 bits/sec. with one of those modems.
      (The best I've achieved is 48,000.)
      0
  2. geygey Posted messages 13 Status Member 4
     
    Personally, I have Free and I advise you not to take it for a good reason:
    => The customer service is really terrible
    Anyway, I'm not going to start a debate about it since that's not the subject.
    4
  3. vieu bison boiteu Posted messages 44334 Registration date   Status Contributor Last intervention   Ambassadeur 3 591
     
    hi Cynthia

    and also do a little line test to see what it can give
    http://www.degrouptest.com/

    you'll see the main ISPs, what they can offer you (even if you have a lower speed) sometimes

    see you
    --
    no link on the web page in English
    I'm already flying enough on my own
    2
    1. xav'(73) Posted messages 394 Status Member 189
       
      Great tip of yours...
      Moral of the story is that it’s still France Telecom that holds the reins of communication in France because for me everything is green for the speeds except the last one. However, for the other ISPs, it’s really peanuts.
      France Telecom behind this site???? One can wonder...
      Have a good day.
      --
      What matters is not to know the information, but to know where to find it (Albert Einstein)
      0
    2. sebsauvage Posted messages 33284 Registration date   Status Moderator Last intervention   15 684
       
      It's variable...

      At my place:

      Neuf: impossible
      Cetegel: doesn't exceed 4 Mbits/s.
      Tiscali: doesn't exceed 1 Mbits/s
      Alice: impossible
      France Telecom: compatible 8 Mbits
      Free: compatible 8 Mbits + compatible ADSL2 (16 Mbits)


      We shouldn't generalize.
      0
      1. xav'(73) Posted messages 394 Status Member 189 > sebsauvage Posted messages 33284 Registration date   Status Moderator Last intervention  
         
        ...absolutely, because it's possible if you have cable network running nearby, because even if you are not the owner, FT like others must use it.
        --
        The important thing is not to know the information, but to know where to find it (Albert Einstein)
        0
    3. vieu bison boiteu Posted messages 44334 Registration date   Status Contributor Last intervention   3 591
       
      either install or rent

      to+
      --
      no link on the English webpage
      I'm already flying solo enough
      0
  4. sebsauvage Posted messages 33284 Registration date   Status Moderator Last intervention   15 684
     
    And then beware, there is an abuse of "bps" (baud per second), which is too often used where we should put "bits per second."

    bits per second <> baud
    1
  6. cynthia
     
    So, first of all, thank you all for all this information that is really useful to me.
    Thanks for the old bison boiteu link... the test is incredible. Free is dead! No offer on my line (interesting on their site it wasn't really the same result); the choice is still limited... wanadoo (a bit too expensive for my budget), tiscali (oh no!! I just fought to get rid of them!), cégetel.
    Thanks to xav'73 for the test on free directly... I am in a non-degrouped area (long live the crows! Thanks to them we at least have electricity!!) so I'm entitled to the 2048 kbps non-degrouped ADSL... Well, the violins need to tune up here! Between nothing and 2048 there's a little problem with free...
    1
  8. cynthia
     
    Another link to compare the offers: www.adsl-facile.com which then sends a summary email of the offers that the tested line is eligible for.
    Wanadoo once again leads the way, followed closely by Club Internet and then Cégetel...
    0
  9. Lightning-95-McQueen Posted messages 21 Status Member 1
     
    bof, with TCP Optimizer, you choose the maximum speed of your connection (up to 20M/bits) available on this software.
    There are also other sections so that you have the best possible connection
    Already I have upgraded my modem to 18M/Bits. No installation required, just download and run.
    --
    You see? Tick Tock, they're deleting one of my posts!
    Aren't you tired of this?
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