v • d • e Multiples of bits
SI decimal prefixes			IEC binary prefixes
Name (Symbol)	Standard SI	Binary usage	Name (Symbol)	Value
kilobit (kbit)	103	210	kibibit (Kibit)	210
megabit (Mbit)	106	220	mebibit (Mibit)	220
gigabit (Gbit)	109	230	gibibit (Gibit)	230
terabit (Tbit)	1012	240	tebibit (Tibit)	240
petabit (Pbit)	1015	250	pebibit (Pibit)	250
exabit (Ebit)	1018	260	exbibit (Eibit)	260
zettabit (Zbit)	1021	270	zebibit (Zibit)	270
yottabit (Ybit)	1024	280	yobibit (Yibit)	280
See also: Nibble · Byte · Multiples of bytes Orders of magnitude of data

A kilobit is an expression of grouped bits meaning 1,000 (10³) bits. Use of the term to denote a kibibit, although the most common use due to the nature of bits (binary digits), is deprecated and contrary to international standard.^[1]

The term 'kilobit' is most commonly used in the expression of data rates (digital communication speeds) in the abbreviated form "kbps", "kb/s"^[2], or "kbit/s", meaning "kilobits per second". For example, "a 56 kbit/s PSTN", or "a 512 kbit/s broadband Internet connection".

The abbreviation kb (for kilobit) should not be confused with the abbreviation of the term kilobyte (abbreviated to kB or KB, with an upper case B). Though the prefix "kilo-" is often (contrary to international standard) used to indicate 1,024 when used with Bytes, the decimal definition (1 kilobit per second = 1,000 bits per second) is used uniformly in the context of telecommunication transmission speeds.

[edit] See also

• bit
• kibibit
• Data rate units
• orders of magnitude (data)
• Binary prefix
• SI prefix

[edit] References

1. ^ NTIS summary of IEC standard 60027-2
2. ^ IEEE information for authors, Appendix A