What is a gigabit Ethernet?

The IEEE 802.3-2008 standard defines Gigabit Ethernet or GbE, as any technology that transmits Ethernet frames at one gigabit, one billion bits per second. GbE first came into use in 1999, slowly replacing Fast Ethernet, which had been the standard in wired local networks.

When GbE was first introduced, the price of the required cables and hardware were prohibitively expensive, so it was not widely adopted. It was not until 2010 that the prices were such that the adoption rate increased dramatically. As of 2014, it has almost completely replaced Fast Ethernet, and it is not uncommon to see 10 GbE used in the telecommunications industry's wired networks.