# Jitter In networking, jitter refers to the variation in the delay between packets arriving at their destination. It is a measure of the consistency of packet arrival time. Jitter can occur due to network congestion, routing changes, and other factors that affect the transmission of packets over a network. Jitter can be particularly problematic for real-time applications, such as voice and video conferencing, where a consistent delay is required for a smooth and seamless user experience. High levels of jitter can result in choppy audio or video, dropped frames, and other issues that can negatively impact the quality of the communication. Jitter is typically measured in milliseconds (ms), and it is important to minimize jitter as much as possible to ensure a high-quality user experience. Network engineers use various techniques to manage and reduce jitter, such as implementing quality of service (QoS) policies, optimizing network routing, and using buffering and queuing mechanisms. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.console.zenlayer.com/glossary/j/jitter.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.