When it comes to speed on the Internet, you will often come across the term Mbit / s. This indicates the data transfer rate. But what exactly does Mbit / s actually mean? And what statements can be made about your Internet connection if you know the respective information in Mbit / s?
What does the abbreviation Mbit / s mean?
According to abbreviationfinder, the abbreviation Mbit / s stands for two values: the amount of data and the time. The specification / s clarifies the time value: per second. Mbit describes the amount. For the exact numbering of this amount, please note: Kilo is the name for a thousand times the value. As a result, one kilobit (Kbit) equals 1,000 bits. Likewise, the specification mega represents a thousand times the kilo value. One megabit therefore corresponds to a thousand kilobits and one million bits. This means in total: 1 Mbit / s is the specification for one million bits transmitted per second.
Megabytes (MB) and megabits (Mbit)
The difference between megabytes and megabits, i.e. between MB and Mbit, is quickly explained: While the speed of Internet access is usually specified in Mbit, the specification megabyte describes the size of a storage medium. Although both units of measurement are used in different areas, there is often confusion. If you want to convert bits into bytes , you use a simple formula: One byte corresponds to eight bits. Since the storage capacity of hard disks and the like is increasing more and more, the term gigabyte or even terabyte is often used today instead of megabytes. The time component does not play a role in the byte size, so the specification “per second” is omitted.
How many Mbit / s are required on the mobile phone?
Anyone who signs a new contract is faced with the question of cell phone speed. There are values between 7 and 500 Mbit / s. For a long time, 7.2 Mbit / s was the standard for mobile surfing. So you are fluent on the Internet. Social media apps and streams run without any problems. For larger downloads, you have to plan more time – or do it in WiFi. The maximum download bandwidths are divided into classes:
- 2G corresponds to EDGE,
- 3G corresponds to UMTS or HSDPA and
- 4G corresponds to LTE .
2G, 3G and 4G each denote the different generations. 2G is used when making calls and creates a mobile data transmission of a maximum of 220 Kbit / s or 0.22 Mbit / s. 3G reaches up to 384 Kbit / s.
How many Mbit / s does LTE have?
Many tariffs nowadays rely on LTE, because a surfing top speed of up to 500 Mbit / s is possible in the 4G network. Another advantage of the LTE offer : The expansion of the LTE network continues to advance. This means you benefit from better reception. Even via LTE with a maximum of 50 Mbit / s it is possible to load pages within a second. Whichever offer you choose – it should be noted that the contracts generally state the maximum value. However, this is not always available! Some of the factors that play a role in surfing speed include:
- the whereabouts,
- Your cell phone and
- the cell phone usage of the people around you.
How many Mbit / s do you need to surf the Internet?
How much Mbit / s you need depends on your surfing behavior. The standard DSL (Digital Subscriber Line, German: digital subscriber connection) describes the possibility of exchanging various data. A DSL 16,000 line creates a data speed of 16,000 Kbits / s, i.e. 16 Mbit / s. That is enough for standard users who regularly send photos and videos on Facebook and Co. A DSL 50,000 line is ideal for gamers. This offer with 50 Mbit / s belongs to the VDSL, the Very High Speed DSL. If you live in a household with several users, in a shared apartment or together with your family, we recommend the DSL 50,000 line or the DSL 100,000 line. This avoids disruptions when several users are online at the same time.
How much Mbit / s do you need to stream?
A DSL 16,000 line is the right choice for popular streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime or Maxdome. You only have to worry about annoying jerking if several participants access the streaming offer at the same time. If your home theater is equipped with a high-quality TV set in full HD resolution , you should opt for a slightly stronger cable. In this case, the offers for DSL 25,000 are ideal. This allows you to watch the high-resolution videos from the Internet in the best quality.
