The megabit, commonly abbreviated as Mb, is a unit of digital information that is widely used to measure data transfer rates, such as internet speed. It equals one million bits. A common misconception is confusing megabits with megabytes. While both are used in computing, 1 byte equals 8 bits, thus making 1 megabyte equal to 8 megabits. This difference is crucial when reading the speed advertised by an Internet Service Provider, which typically use megabits per second (Mbps), rather than megabytes per second (MBps).
In the early days of the internet, a dial-up connection delivered speeds of about 56 kilobits per second (Kbps). In contrast, modern fiber-optic connections can reach speeds well over 1,000 Mbps, making old dial-up appear nearly stagnant. This evolution underscores how technological advancements have exponentially increased our capacity to access and share information.
A gigabit, often abbreviated as Gb, is a unit of digital information storage that is equivalent to 1 billion bits. While it may sound like a lot, gigabits are most frequently used to measure internet speeds rather than storage capacities. In the realm of internet connectivity, when you see a service offering speeds up to “1 Gbps,” it means you could, theoretically, download a standard high-definition movie in just a few seconds, assuming optimal conditions. As digital content continues to grow in size and quality, gigabit internet connections have become sought after for smoother streaming, faster downloads, and more responsive online gaming experiences.
Interestingly, 1,000 gigabits—often confused with gigabytes (which you’ll notice with a capital “B”)—make up a terabit, a scale more commonly seen in the data bandwidths of major data centers or in the transfers between colossal tech infrastructures. This shift in demand emphasizes the transformative impact that gigabit technology has had on both personal and global data consumption.
Megabits | Gigabits |
---|---|
0
MB
|
0
GB
|
16
MB
|
0.016
GB
|
32
MB
|
0.032
GB
|
48
MB
|
0.048
GB
|
64
MB
|
0.064
GB
|
80
MB
|
0.08
GB
|
96
MB
|
0.096
GB
|
112
MB
|
0.112
GB
|
128
MB
|
0.128
GB
|
144
MB
|
0.144
GB
|
160
MB
|
0.16
GB
|
176
MB
|
0.176
GB
|
192
MB
|
0.192
GB
|
208
MB
|
0.208
GB
|
224
MB
|
0.224
GB
|
240
MB
|
0.24
GB
|
256
MB
|
0.256
GB
|
272
MB
|
0.272
GB
|
288
MB
|
0.288
GB
|
304
MB
|
0.304
GB
|
320
MB
|
0.32
GB
|
336
MB
|
0.336
GB
|
352
MB
|
0.352
GB
|
368
MB
|
0.368
GB
|
384
MB
|
0.384
GB
|
400
MB
|
0.4
GB
|
416
MB
|
0.416
GB
|
432
MB
|
0.432
GB
|
448
MB
|
0.448
GB
|
464
MB
|
0.464
GB
|
480
MB
|
0.48
GB
|
496
MB
|
0.496
GB
|
512
MB
|
0.512
GB
|
528
MB
|
0.528
GB
|
544
MB
|
0.544
GB
|
560
MB
|
0.56
GB
|
576
MB
|
0.576
GB
|
592
MB
|
0.592
GB
|
608
MB
|
0.608
GB
|
624
MB
|
0.624
GB
|
640
MB
|
0.64
GB
|
656
MB
|
0.656
GB
|
672
MB
|
0.672
GB
|
688
MB
|
0.688
GB
|
704
MB
|
0.704
GB
|
720
MB
|
0.72
GB
|
736
MB
|
0.736
GB
|
752
MB
|
0.752
GB
|
768
MB
|
0.768
GB
|
784
MB
|
0.784
GB
|
800
MB
|
0.8
GB
|
816
MB
|
0.816
GB
|
832
MB
|
0.832
GB
|
848
MB
|
0.848
GB
|
864
MB
|
0.864
GB
|
880
MB
|
0.88
GB
|
896
MB
|
0.896
GB
|
912
MB
|
0.912
GB
|
928
MB
|
0.928
GB
|
944
MB
|
0.944
GB
|
960
MB
|
0.96
GB
|
976
MB
|
0.976
GB
|
992
MB
|
0.992
GB
|
1008
MB
|
1.008
GB
|
1024
MB
|
1.024
GB
|