Definition of Kbit

The standard definition is 1 kilobit = 10³ bit = 1,000 bit. In the context of storage-memory and address-space sizes, the alternative binary definition of 2¹⁰ = 1,024 bit is occasionally used (see Binary prefix), although this usage is ambiguous.

Kilobits are commonly used to express digital communication speeds, e.g. a 56 kbit/s PSTN or 512 kbit/s broadband Internet connection. In the context of telecommunication transmission speeds, the decimal definition 1 kilobit = 1,000 bit is used uniformly.