128kilobitpersecond

128kilobitpersecond refers to a data transmission rate equal to 128 kilobits of information per second. In mathematical terms, one kilobit is 1,024 bits, so a rate of 128 kilobits per second corresponds to 131,072 bits each second. This data rate is also equivalent to 16 kilobytes per second when measured in bytes, because a byte contains eight bits.

The 128kbps rate has appeared in several communication contexts. In the early days of modem technology, 128k was a widely used line rate for industrial and business applications, particularly in T1 and DS1 digital subscriber line systems where the B channel could support up to 1.544 megabits per second. A 128k link would provide a comfortable bandwidth for voice over IP, basic web browsing, and low‑resolution video streaming in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It was also employed in some cellular data services and satellite communications as a middle construction between the lower 64k and higher 256k or 512k tiers.

Because 128kbps is roughly six times faster than the historic 56k modem, it represented a noticeable step forward for bandwidth‑hungry applications. Yet it is significantly slower than modern broadband speeds, which typically exceed megabit rates. Contemporary voice codecs, such as G.729, can operate efficiently at around 8–12 kbps, whereas modern video streaming often requires several megabits per second. As a result, 128kbps is now mainly recognized as part of the historical evolution of data rates rather than a competitive bandwidth figure in current networking standards.