What is a Jitter?
The variation in time between data packets arriving they don’t come in evenly spaced, which can cause disruptions in real-time communication.
Jitter Example
You’re on a video call, and the other person’s voice starts sounding robotic or cuts in and out. That’s likely jitter, the packets are arriving at inconsistent intervals, making the audio choppy.
What is Jitter in Real-Time Communication? (WebRTC, VoIP & Contact Centers)
In real-time communication—like voice calls, video conferencing, or contact center interactions—data is transmitted in packets at regular intervals. Jitter occurs when these intervals become inconsistent. Some packets may arrive too early, others too late, or even out of order. This variation disrupts the smooth flow of audio and video.
Common Causes of Network Jitter:
- Network congestion (high traffic on the network)
- Wi-Fi interference (signal disruptions)
- Inefficient routing paths (suboptimal network routes)
- Unstable internet connections (fluctuating bandwidth)
To mitigate jitter, devices use a jitter buffer—a temporary storage area that holds packets briefly to align their playback. However, if jitter exceeds the buffer capacity or is sustained over time, it results in:
- Choppy or robotic audio
- Frozen or lagging video frames
- Misunderstood conversations and poor user experience
Why Jitter Matters in Contact Centers
In contact centers, jitter can severely affect call quality, disrupting agent-customer conversations. This leads to increased frustration, repeated clarifications, and ultimately, lower Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) scores. Unlike latency, which is about delay, jitter is about timing consistency in packet delivery.
Proactively monitoring jitter and network performance with solutions like Operata’s CX Observability platform helps contact centers detect and resolve issues before they impact customer interactions.
Acceptable Jitter Thresholds:
- Under 30ms: Typically unnoticeable, smooth experience
- 30–50ms: Minor glitches or audio artifacts may appear
- Over 50ms: Noticeable quality issues, often disruptive
Managing jitter is critical for ensuring high-quality WebRTC, VoIP calls and seamless customer experiences in contact centers.
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