Hz to kbps Calculator

In this post we explain how to convert Bandwidth (Hz) to Data throughput (kilobits per second) for digital communication systems*.

The tool answers the question: What is the maximum data rate (measured in kilobits per second) that can be supported for a given Bandwidth (Hz)?

*Click here if you’re interested in the Hz to kbps calculator for audio systems

In the calculator below, enter the bandwidth and the SNR (dB)

🔄 kbps to Hz

Example Calculation

For 100 Hz of bandwidth and 10 dB Signal to noise ratio, the maximum throughput is 0.35 kbps.

For a fixed bandwidth, throughput increases with SNR.

For instance at 15 dB SNR, the max data rate is 0.51 kbps.

Formula

To calculate the bit rate we use the Shannon-Hartley formula

C = B*Log2(1 + S/N)

where,

  • C is the throughput in bits per second
  • B is the bandwidth in Hz
  • S/N is the signal-to-noise ratio

Key Assumptions

The Shannon-Hartley formula makes the following assumptions:

  • The noise is white Gaussian. In other words it does not consider the effect of Fading which can cause additional signal losses.
  • The throughput in bit-per-second is an upper bound. It represents an ideal condition that can be achieved with an arbitrarily low error rate.

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