.MBps is an abbreviation for Megabytes per second, whereas mbps and Mbps are abbreviations for megabits per second. Eight megabits equal one Megabyte. These abbreviations are commonly used to specify how much data can be transferred per second between two points.

To put megabits and Megabytes in perspective, lets back up for just a moment. One bit of data is a single “on” or “off” digit, a one or zero. It takes eight bits to represent a single character, or one byte of data. * 8 bits = 1 byte * 1000 bytes = 8 kilobits (kb) = 1 Kilobyte (KB) * 1000 Kilobytes (KB) = 8 megabits (mb) = 1 Megabyte (MB)

We must also translate speed to value when considering Internet service plans, advertised by download and upload speeds expressed in kilobits per second (kbps) or megabits per second.

For example, a typical Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) plan might have an upper transfer limit of 1,500 kbps, which can also be expressed as 1.5 mbps. A cable plan might be advertised with speeds up to 5,000 kbps or 5 mbps; and fiber optic Internet can reach speeds of 50 mbps or more.

Keep in mind that today all internet speed is coming in the multiple of Mega/Kilo bit per second(m/kbps), not in Mega/Kilo byte per second(M/KBps). For converting KB/s to kbps (bit rate from Byte values), the equation is basically as follows: <K> KiloBytes * 1,024 = <t> total Bytes <t> total Bytes * 8 = <b> bits <b> bits / 1,000 = <k> kilobits For example: 30 KB/s * 1,024 = 30,720 Bytes per second 30,720 Bytes per second * 8 = 245,760 bits per second 245,760 bits per second (bps) / 1,000 = (approximately) 246 kbps (245.8 kb/s)

And for kbps to KB/s (Byte values from bit rates), you switch the equations: <k> kilobits per second * 1,000= <b> total bits per second; <b> bits / 8 = <t> total Bytes per second; and <t> / 1,024 = <K> KiloBytes per second.

For example: 128 kbps (k) = 128,000 bits per second (k*1000=b) = 16,000 Bytes per second (b/8=t) , or about 15.6 KB/s (t/1,024=K) . So a 512\128 internet connection would give you about 62.5 KB/s maximum download, and about 15.6 KB/s upload (max). And a 1500\128 service (1.5 mbps download cap) would give you about 183.1 KiloBytes per second, maxium download and about 15.6 KB/s upload(max).

Note: "These are optimum bandwidths. Actual bandwidth may vary due to network traffic and and are not guaranteed. The difference between maximum speed and average speed can be especially large in wireless technology, or cable internet. The varying amount of data traffic on the Internet (and your own LAN, if applicable) and the condition of your computer equipment affect the speed of any connection at any given time." ;

"Keep in mind that [even with a 1.5 mbps connection] you will not normally see 1.5 megabits in a speed test … due to overhead the more commonly seen speed with this type of connection is in the neighborhood of 1200-1250."