What is Jitter?
Jitter is a common term used in the field of telecommunications and networking to describe the variability in the arrival time of packets. It refers to the deviation from real-time delivery of data packets over a network. Jitter can cause disruptions in audio and video streams, leading to poor quality of service.
Causes of Jitter
1. Network Congestion: High traffic volumes can lead to delays in packet delivery.
2. Packet Loss: When packets are dropped or lost during transmission, it can cause variations in arrival times.
3. Route Changes: Changes in the path that packets take through a network can result in jitter.
Impact of Jitter
Jitter can have significant implications for VoIP calls, video conferences, online gaming, and other real-time applications. It can lead to choppy audio, frozen video frames, and lag in online games.
Reducing Jitter
1. Quality of Service (QoS): Prioritize traffic based on its importance to reduce the impact of jitter.
2. Buffering: Use buffers to temporarily store and smooth out data packets.
3. Jitter Buffers: Implement jitter buffers to manage variations in packet arrival times.
Case Study
In a study conducted by MIT, researchers found that jitter had a direct correlation with user satisfaction in video conferencing applications. Participants reported a 30% decrease in satisfaction when experiencing high levels of jitter.
Statistics
According to a report by Cisco, 47% of network managers consider jitter to be a top concern in ensuring quality of service for real-time applications.
