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Bandwidth

Bandwidth refers to the usable frequency range of a line or transmission system, measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). It indicates how much data can be transmitted within a certain unit of time.

The relationship between bandwidth and data transmission capacity can be described as follows: The greater the bandwidth, the more data can be transmitted per unit of time. This means that a system with a higher bandwidth is able to transmit a larger amount of information faster than a system with a lower bandwidth.

Examples for clarification

  • A typical example from network technology: An Ethernet cable with a bandwidth of 100 MHz can transmit less data per second than a cable with a bandwidth of 1 GHz.
  • In telecommunications: A mobile phone network with a bandwidth of 20 MHz can process a certain number of voice and data connections, while a network with a bandwidth of 100 MHz can support significantly more connections simultaneously.

Important points on bandwidth

  • Measurement: The bandwidth is often measured in MHz or GHz, where 1 GHz = 1000 MHz.
  • Data transmission: A larger bandwidth enables higher data transfer rates, resulting in faster download and upload speeds.
  • Technology: Different technologies and media (e.g. copper cable, fibre optic cable, radio frequencies) have different maximum bandwidths.
  • Application: Applications that require large amounts of data (e.g. HD video streaming, online gaming, cloud computing) benefit from greater bandwidth.