Often used as a measure of the rate of data transfer. Technically, baud is the number of times per second that a carrier signal shifts value on a modulated data transmission system such as a modem. For example a 4800 bit-per-second modem actually runs at 1200 baud, because it can move 4 bits per baud (4 x 1200 = 4800 bits per second). Using baud to describe data rates is no longer as fashionable due to potential ambiguities, and has been effectively replaced by the more direct “bits per second” (bps).
