What is jitter?

Short answer: jitter is variation in latency over time. Even with good average speed, unstable latency can make calls and gameplay feel unreliable.

Why jitter matters

• Video calls: robotic audio and freezes.
• Gaming: rubber-banding and delayed reactions.
• Streaming: quality drops and buffering spikes.

Practical jitter ranges

• Under 10 ms: very stable for most real-time use.
• 10 to 20 ms: usually acceptable for home use.
• Over 20 ms: instability is more likely to be noticeable.

Common causes of high jitter

Wi-Fi interference, congestion at busy times, and competing background traffic are frequent causes. Testing on Ethernet helps separate Wi-Fi issues from line issues.

Next: follow broadband troubleshooting and then compare broadband deals if instability remains.