What is latency?

Latency is the term used to describe the time it takes for units of data, or ‘packets’, to travel from your device to the intended destination.

A long delay is known as high latency and can cause issues for operations that rely on quick or real-time relaying of data such as video calling. The delay happens when the packets are travelling at below necessary speeds and can cause the video to lag or become unsynchronized with audio.

Everyday business functions that require low latency internet include using software that is hosted in the cloud, video conferencing, VoIP phone use, monitoring of CCTV security feeds and any remote operations that rely on real time data.

Factors leading to a low latency connection

Latency can vary between the access technology you have chosen for your internet connection. For example, long DSL lines can be affected by electrical interference (referred to as ‘noise’) or the changing weather. Whilst this goes unnoticed for applications such as email, real-time services such as voice and video will not cope well with bursts of high latency or jitter. FTTP or Ethernet Leased Lines offer a consistent low-latency experience and are considered the best internet access technology for anyone that needs to work with real-time data or delay sensitive applications.

The ISP you choose to provide your internet will also affect your connection’s latency as network congestion can play a significant role in what levels of latency you are likely to experience.