Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

data transfer rate
     
         (Or "throughput") The ammount of {data}
        transferred in one direction over a link divided by the time
        taken to transfer it, usually expressed in bits or bytes per
        second.
     
        Where data transfer is not continuous throughout the given
        time interval, the data transfer rate is thus an average rate
        that will be lower than the peak rate.  The peak or maximum
        possible rate may itself be lower than the {capacity} of the
        communication channel used if the channel is shared, or part
        of the signal is not considered as data, e.g. {checksum} or
        {routing} information.
     
        The other important characteristic of a channel is its
        {latency}.
     
        [Is this correct?]
     
        (2001-05-22)