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ARTICLE
Latency, Jitter, and Packet Loss: The 3 Metrics That Define Connectivity Performance for Enterprises
Zia Shahid
Zia is Acronym’s Product Manager for Internet & Connectivity, heading the full portfolio that powers scalable, high-performance connectivity solutions. He oversees a suite of offerings—including dedicated Internet, and network connectivity options like MPLS, Ethernet, dark fibre, wavelength, and tower attachments.
Focused on both enterprise and wholesale segments, Zia ensures resilient and secure infrastructure by steering initiatives that blend fault-tolerant multi-layer architecture, and real-time monitoring. His leadership is instrumental in empowering businesses to grow, mission-critical operations with always-on, optimized connectivity.
This article explains why internet speed alone is not enough to ensure reliable business connectivity. While bandwidth measures how much data can be transmitted, real-world performance is defined by three critical metrics: latency, jitter, and packet loss. Latency determines how quickly data begins moving, jitter measures how consistently it arrives, and packet loss indicates whether data arrives at all. Together, these metrics directly affect video calls, VoIP, cloud applications, VPNs, and customer-facing systems. The article breaks down what each metric means, what good performance looks like, how problems show up in daily operations, and why leadership teams should care. It concludes by outlining what enterprises should evaluate beyond Mbps when choosing internet services, emphasizing consistency, reliability, and SLA-backed performance.
Key Takeaways
- Bandwidth is only the “width” of the pipe, not the quality of the flow. While speed (Mbps/Gbps) determines how much data you can move, it doesn’t guarantee a good experience. High speeds can still result in choppy calls and lag if the underlying performance metrics—Latency, Jitter, and Packet Loss—are poor.
- Latency and Jitter are the primary “silent killers” of real-time collaboration. Latency is the constant delay (the “lag”), while Jitter is the unpredictability of that delay. For modern businesses relying on Zoom, Teams, or VoIP, high levels of either make communication nearly impossible, leading to “robotic” voices and frozen video.
- Packet Loss is a non-negotiable metric for reliability. Even a tiny amount of packet loss (over 1%) can cause noticeable issues, such as dropped calls or failing VPNs. Unlike general web surfing where a lost “packet” might just mean a slightly slower page load, real-time business data often cannot be resent fast enough to prevent a total connection failure.
- Poor connectivity is a direct threat to revenue and productivity. Enterprise-grade internet isn’t just an IT concern; it impacts the bottom line. Unstable connections increase employee frustration, slow down CRM and cloud-based workflows, and create an unprofessional experience for customers during sales or support calls.
When business leaders shop for internet service, the conversation often starts with speed: “How fast is it?”
But speed, usually measured in Mbps or Gbps, is only part of the story. Two internet connections can offer the same download and upload speeds and still deliver completely different user experiences. One might feel instant and reliable, while the other creates choppy video calls, sluggish cloud apps, and frustrating “Can you hear me now?” moments.
The difference comes down to three performance metrics that matter just as much as bandwidth:
- Latency
- Jitter
- Packet loss
These three measurements help explain why a connection can look strong on paper, yet still struggle in real-world business use.
What Is Latency?
Latency is the time it takes for data to travel from one point to another.
Think of latency as delay. It’s often measured in milliseconds (ms), and it affects how “responsive” your internet feels.
A simple way to picture it
Latency is the time between an action and the response. For example, it could be the delay between clicking “Send” and the other person receiving your message, or the pause between speaking on a video call and being heard.
Why latency matters for business
Latency is especially important for applications that require real-time interaction, including:
- Video conferencing
- VoIP phone systems
- Remote desktop sessions
- Cloud-based point-of-sale systems
- Live CRM usage during customer calls
- Online transactions and payment processing
High latency doesn’t always stop something from working, but it makes everything feel slower and less reliable.
What latency feels like in real life
If your business connection has high latency, you might notice:
- A delay between speaking and hearing responses on calls
- Web pages that stall before loading
- Cloud apps that feel sluggish even with strong bandwidth
- Slow response times in remote desktops or virtual environments
What’s considered “good” latency?
In general, lower latency (or ultra-low latency) is better, especially for real-time business communication. The closer you are to “instant,” the smoother everything feels.
Here’s a practical range to use as a benchmark:
- 0–20 ms: Excellent (ideal for real-time communication)
- 20–60 ms: Very good (works well for most business applications)
- 60–100 ms: Usable, but delay becomes noticeable—especially on voice/video calls
- 100+ ms: Often disruptive for real-time tools and collaboration
What Is Jitter?
Jitter is the variation in latency over time.
In other words: latency that changes from moment to moment.
Even if your average latency is reasonable, jitter can cause inconsistent performance—and inconsistency is what makes business communication tools feel unstable.
A simple way to picture it
Imagine a delivery truck bringing packages from your office to a customer:
- With low jitter, deliveries arrive every 10 minutes.
- With high jitter, deliveries might arrive in 2 minutes… then 25… then 7… then 40.
The average might be “fine,” but the unpredictability creates problems.
Why jitter matters for business
Jitter is a major factor in the quality of:
- Video conferencing
- VoIP phone calls
- Remote collaboration tools that require real-time updates
These applications don’t just need data to arrive quickly—they need it to arrive consistently.
What jitter feels like in real life
High jitter can cause:
- Voices that sound robotic or distorted
- Video that freezes or becomes pixelated
- Audio cutting in and out
- Meetings where participants talk over each other due to timing delays
Even when your speed test looks “good,” jitter can quietly sabotage the user experience.
What’s considered “good” jitter?
Jitter measures how much your latency fluctuates. Lower jitter means steadier performance; higher jitter means more disruption for real-time apps.
The targets below reflect typical variation over short time frames, but they are not a guarantee for every packet.
0–10 ms: Excellent stability. Latency stays consistent enough that voice and video typically sound clear and natural.
10–20 ms: Still strong performance for most business use. Minor variation may exist, but it’s usually not disruptive.
20–30 ms: The connection is becoming inconsistent. Users may begin noticing occasional audio glitches, video hiccups, or awkward talk-over moments.
30+ ms: High jitter. Delay changes enough that real-time communication often becomes unreliable, even if bandwidth is high.
In practical terms, consistently low jitter helps calls and meetings stay smooth, even during peak usage.
What Is Packet Loss?
Packet loss happens when pieces of data (packets) don’t make it to their destination.
The internet sends information in small chunks called packets. When some of them get dropped along the way, that’s packet loss.
Packet loss is measured as a percentage.
A simple way to picture it
Packet loss is like sending a 10-page document through the mail, but pages 3 and 7 never arrive.
Sometimes the system can resend missing packets, but that takes time and creates delays. Other times (especially with real-time voice/video), the data can’t be resent fast enough, so quality suffers.
Why packet loss matters for business
Packet loss impacts nearly every business-critical function, including:
- VoIP call clarity
- Video meeting stability
- Cloud application performance
- File transfers and backups
- VPN reliability
- Customer-facing web apps and portals
Even small packet loss can cause major disruptions because it forces retransmissions, increases delay, and breaks real-time streams.
What packet loss feels like in real life
Packet loss may show up as:
- Audio dropping out mid-sentence
- Video calls disconnecting or failing to join
- Web apps timing out or “spinning”
- Slow uploads or incomplete file transfers
- VPN sessions randomly disconnecting
What’s considered “good” packet loss?
For business-grade performance:
- 0%: Ideal
- 0–1%: Usually acceptable for most applications
- 1–2.5%: Can cause noticeable voice/video issues
- 2.5%+ : Often disruptive and unacceptable for real-time workloads
How These Metrics Work Together (and Why Speed Alone Isn’t Enough)
It’s possible to have a fast connection that still performs poorly.
Here’s why:
- Bandwidth (speed) determines how much data you can move.
- Latency determines how quickly data starts moving.
- Jitter determines how stable that movement is.
- Packet loss determines whether the data arrives at all.
A quick way to visualize internet performance
Think of your internet connection like a highway system:
- Bandwidth = number of lanes
- Latency = how long it takes to drive from Point A to Point B
- Jitter = traffic unpredictability and stop-and-go conditions
- Packet loss = accidents that force cars to exit and reroute
Adding lanes helps, but it doesn’t fix traffic jams, detours, or missing deliveries.
What Causes Latency, Jitter, and Packet Loss?
These issues don’t happen randomly—there are common root causes.
- Network congestion: When too many users or devices share the same connection, performance becomes inconsistent.
- Wi-Fi limitations: Wi-Fi is convenient, but it’s more vulnerable to interference and signal degradation than wired connections, especially in busy offices.
- Distance and routing: The farther your traffic must travel (and the more “hops” it takes), the higher latency tends to be.
- Underpowered or misconfigured equipment: Older routers, overloaded firewalls, or poorly configured network settings can create bottlenecks, especially if real-time traffic isn’t prioritized over large downloads and background updates.
- Line quality or infrastructure issues: Damaged cabling, poor-quality last-mile infrastructure, or unstable service delivery can lead to packet loss and jitter.
Why You Should Care (Even If You’re Not in IT)
If you’re evaluating business internet, these metrics directly affect outcomes that leadership teams care about:
Productivity – Laggy systems slow down employees, especially teams using cloud platforms all day.
Customer experience – Choppy calls and delayed responses make your business sound unprofessional, even if your team is doing everything right.
Revenue and operations – If your internet affects payment processing, CRM access, or dispatch workflows, performance issues quickly become financial issues.
IT workload and risk – Unstable connectivity increases troubleshooting time, escalations, and pressure on internal teams.
What to Look for in Enterprise-level Internet (Beyond Mbps)
When comparing providers or service options, ask about:
- Performance targets for latency, jitter, and packet loss
- SLA-backed reliability and uptime commitments
- Symmetrical speeds (especially for cloud-first businesses)
- Scalability for multi-site operations
- Proactive monitoring and enterprise-grade support
- Network design that prioritizes real-time traffic
If your business relies on voice, video, cloud apps, or customer-facing tools, performance consistency matters just as much as raw speed.
The Bottom Line
Latency, jitter, and packet loss are the “hidden” metrics that determine whether your business internet feels reliable, or becomes a daily source of frustration.
To recap:
- Latency = how fast data travels (delay)
- Jitter = how consistent that delay is (stability)
- Packet loss = whether data arrives at all (reliability)
Understanding these metrics helps you make smarter decisions when purchasing business internet, especially for modern workplaces that depend on cloud applications, video meetings, and real-time communication.
If you’d like help evaluating business internet options based on the applications your teams rely on most, so performance stays consistent as your organization grows.
FAQ's
Q: What is the difference between latency and jitter?
A: Latency is the delay it takes for data to travel from one point to another. Jitter measures how much that delay changes over time. Low latency with high jitter can still result in poor call and video quality.
Q: Why does my internet feel slow even with high speeds?
A: High bandwidth does not guarantee good performance. High latency, unstable jitter, or packet loss can make cloud apps, video calls, and remote desktops feel sluggish or unreliable.
Q: How much latency is acceptable for business use?
A: For most enterprise applications, latency under 60 ms delivers strong performance. Real-time voice and video work best when latency is as close to instant as possible.
Q: What causes packet loss in business networks?
A: Packet loss is commonly caused by network congestion, faulty cabling, Wi-Fi interference, overloaded equipment, or unstable service infrastructure.
Q: What should enterprises look for beyond Mbps when choosing internet service?
A: Enterprises should evaluate SLA-backed performance targets for latency, jitter, and packet loss, symmetrical speeds, proactive monitoring, and network designs that prioritize real-time traffic.
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About Acronym
Acronym Solutions Inc. is a full-service information and communications technology (ICT) company that provides a range of scalable and secure Network, Voice & Collaboration, Security, Cloud and Managed IT Solutions. We support Canadian businesses, large enterprises, service providers, healthcare providers, public-sector organizations and utilities. We leverage our extensive network expertise to design and build customized, fully scalable solutions to help our customers grow their businesses and realize their full potential. With more than 20 years’ experience managing the communications system that enables Ontario’s electrical grid, Acronym is uniquely positioned to understand the mission-critical needs of any business to deliver the innovative and reliable services that respond to the changing demands of businesses, and support rapid growth and digital transformation initiatives.