What is mean by Jitter? Types, Metrics and Benefits

When you are on the phone and suddenly the voice starts breaking up, it is not only irritating but also makes you feel frustrated. We don't know what happens to our phone all of sudden,whether it is connection error, network disturbance or what? This error is known as Jitter. The term sounds like it comes from science fiction. However, this term has a significant importance in the realm of signal processing and data communication. Let's delve into what jitter is, look into its various types, metrics, causes and solutions. Once we understand it, how is it going to benefit us?

What is Jitter?

Jitter is named as a variation that comes in time delay in between data packets over a network, measured in milliseconds. In simple terms, it is the deviation from the expected signal arrival time. It is an important performance metirc in networked systems that affect the real-time applications quality. The examples here are  like in VoIP and video conferences.

This error starts when route changes, network congestion happens,queuing is not done in proper manner, this mitigates using jitter buffers or creating network configuration optimizations.

Suppose you are sending data packets over a network. Each packet should arrive in the same interval, if it won't come due to various factors, like if it arrives earlier or later than the scheduled time, this variance is named as jitter.

This packet delay variation causes disruptions and irregularities in the data flow packets. It affects the reliability and smoothness of network-dependent services.

How Jitter Causes?

Jitter in network communications comes due to several factors:

Network Congestion: Some time delays and speed variation happens due to several packets same time travel through a single network. As a result jitter occurs during delay in processing or delivering.

Route Changes: When packets run through different paths to reach their destinations because of changing routing algorithms or network conditions, the different path lengths and processing times introduce jitter.

Improper Configuration: Improperly configured switches, routers or other network devices lead to uneven packet processing and delay in delivery times.

Types of Traffic: Each network traffic has its unique bandwidth requirement and priority. Therefore the result varies as per packets queued and processed.

Hardware Issues: Sometimes poor quality hardware also causes inconsistent packet delivery times. 
Software Issues: In software the network related bugs or inefficiencies like drivers or firmwares became the cause of Packet delay variation.

External Interference: The interference in wireless networks, physical obstructions, router distances, and interferences from other wireless devices can cause differences in packet transmission times.

What are the types of Jitter?

Random Jitter

This type of error arises from natural and unavoidable variations in environmental and component factors. The unpredictable and sporadically occurrence makes it more challenging to compensate for.

Deterministic Jitter

It is a repeatable and predictable variation that divided into several subtypes like:

• Periodic Jitter: Regular fluctuations in the network or system are the reason behind this packet delay variation. The interference from other electronic devices or cyclic network activities are its few examples.

• Bounded Jitter: It has maximum amplitude that does not exceed a certain level and makes things easier to manage.

• Data-Dependent Jitter: Specific patterns or types of data transmission are the reason behind this packet delay variation  that influences the signal timing.

• Gaussian Jitter: This Jitter follows a predictable distribution pattern, with most variations falling close to the average.

• Absolute Jitter: The deviation comes from the ideal timing of an event without calculating the relationship between successive events.

• Relative Jitter: This jitter measures the difference in variation among successive events, providing insights into how the packet delay variation is accumulating over time. 

Jitter Measuring Metrics

Calculating the average packet-to-packet delay time helps in measure jitter. It is a consistent process. However this calculation can be done in several ways as per different types of traffic. Check out different traffics:

Voice traffic

When the user has control over one endpoint or both endpoints, it will help to measure the jitter.

Single endpoint

It is calculated by the Ping jitter test.  It is a round-trip time with the minimum round-trip time of the voice packet series. Round-Trip Time usually takes time for a single pulse or packet to travel from a specific source to a specific destination.

Double endpoint

This variation measurement refers to the one packet variation between transmitting and receiving intervals.

Bandwidth Testing

This test determines the level of packet delay variation that assesses the upload and download user's internet connection speeds. Calculate jitter times and the overall capacity of the network.

Bandwidth tests help users to determine whether the high variations are caused by their internet providers. In this test files are sent over a network to a particular computer. Then check the time for files to download at the destination.

It helps to consider a theoretical data speed between the two points that is measured in kilobytes per second or megabytes per second. Bandwidth test varies as per the affected by internet traffic, data lines on noise, file sizes and load demand on the server at the time of testing.

How much Jitter is Acceptable?

Jitter acts differently on different communications. One should look into the technical aspect to give a proper reply to this question.

According to fact jitter is measured in milliseconds and an acceptable variation level would be below 30 ms. According to rule packet loss should be under 1%, and the network latency must not exceed 150 ms. Because higher than 30 may show disturbances in audio or video quality.

How to Reduce Jitter?

• Using buffering: A jitter buffer helps in controlling the jitter effects. It can happen in the network on a router or switch or on a computer. The network packets do not receive them directly but from the buffer. They are fed out of the buffer at a regular rate. Try to smoothing out packet timing variations by flowing into the buffer.

• Ethernet Cable Upgradation: Sometimes the outdated cables and switches also cause packet delay variation. You need to change the cables, because the new cables have the potentiality to solve ethernet jitter as they transmit data at 250 megahertz in comparison to old cables at 125 MHz.

• Reduce Bandwidth Use Timings: Making a lot of bandwidth,which is not related to work, can cause packet delay variation. Activities like streaming videos or network gaming worsen the jitter.

• Scheduling Updates: Operating system's updation, updating differnet applications work can be done after the working hours. So that it will free up the capacity for more critical communications.

• Check Device Frequency: If you are using UCaaS or VoIP service then measuring device frequency is necessary. Because you need a solid connection to run video conferences and phone calls on these platforms. Your options here are 2.4 GHz or 5GHz.  Both come with their advantages like 2.4 GHz covers a wider range but it is slow in its functionality whereas 5 GHz has smaller geographical range with faster functionality.

 

How Teldrip Helps?

Teldrip specialises in telecommunication solutions. It will provide customised solutions as per businesses and organisations. Check how Teldrip can help in mitigating jitter-related issues:

Advanced Networking Monitoring: Teldrip offers comprehensive tools for network monitoring to enable real-time detection. So that you can analyse jitter and other network anomalies.

Quality of Service Optimization: The QoS optimization at Teldrip solely focuses on traffic, allocating bandwidth efficiency, and implementing variation buffering techniques to minimise jitter's impact on critical applications.

Tailored Solutions: Our team closely works with clients to include customised solutions individually to address their specific jitter management needs. Teldrip here ensures optimal performance and reliability.

Expert Support: Teldrip's team of experienced engineers and technical experts helps in providing ongoing assistance in helping clients to identify and resolve packet delay variation-related issues.

Final Thought

Jitter poses a significant challenge in maintaining smooth and consistent flow of data in telecommunications networks. By understanding its nature, measuring the impact, implementing effective mitigation strategies make organisations ensure a seamless experience and optimise their network performance.

Teldrip's expertise and tailored solutions, managing packet delay variation to become more manageable. It allows businesses to focus on delivering high-quality communication services to their customers.