In today’s digital-first world, even a split-second delay in communication can cause confusion, missed opportunities, or frustration. This is especially true in sectors like healthcare, logistics, and remote work environments, where timing is crucial and reliable performance is expected.
Internet latency is one of the most overlooked causes of performance issues in business networks. A delay of even a few hundred milliseconds can disrupt real-time communication, affect system responsiveness, and hinder user experience. Understanding latency is critical to diagnosing performance bottlenecks and implementing solutions that keep systems running smoothly.
Latency refers to the time it takes for data to travel from its source to its destination. It’s measured in milliseconds (ms), and it plays a big role in the quality of your internet and phone services.
Imagine saying “hello” into a walkie-talkie and hearing the response a second later. That delay is latency. In the digital world, it can lead to:
While some latency is unavoidable, high latency—especially on poorly optimized networks—can cause major communication hiccups, slowing down workflows, decreasing productivity, and potentially damaging customer relationships.
Businesses today depend on real-time communication. Whether it’s virtual meetings, cloud platforms, or VoIP systems, high latency can disrupt operations and reduce team performance.
Latency is commonly measured using tools like ping or traceroute, which provide the round-trip time data takes to travel between two points. Speed test services such as Speedtest can also display ping time alongside upload and download speeds. Aim for latency under 50 milliseconds for voice or video calls, and under 100 milliseconds for general business applications.
VoIP relies on packets arriving in a precise order. When latency increases, packets may be delayed or received out of sequence, causing audio problems like echoing, overlapping dialogue, or dropped phrases. These issues disrupt real-time communication, making it difficult to maintain clarity or effective interaction—especially during large or fast-paced conversations. Voice packets must arrive in the correct order and timing. When latency spikes:
For businesses that rely on voice communications, using a low-latency infrastructure like the one offered in modern telephone systems helps maintain call clarity and avoid disruptions during conversations.
Video conferencing tools rely on real-time synchronization. Latency over 150ms can result in:
High latency can affect everything from document sharing to CRM usage. If your SaaS tools lag, teams spend more time waiting and less time doing.
Remote staff relying on VPNs and virtual desktops experience latency differently. A 200ms delay in mouse movement or keystrokes can lead to inefficiencies and mistakes.
In environments like assisted living or healthcare, latency issues can affect nurse call systems, telehealth video sessions, or digital patient records. Any delay in communication or data access can interfere with patient safety and care efficiency. Ensuring minimal latency in these settings is essential to supporting both staff operations and resident wellbeing. In senior care facilities, a delayed nurse call or lagging EHR system isn’t just frustrating—it can be dangerous. A reliable network setup—such as those available through business-class internet services—can help reduce latency-related delays in accessing critical systems and applications.
Fiber offers significantly lower latency than DSL or coaxial. It enables symmetrical upload/download speeds and stable real-time data transfer, making it the best choice for businesses reliant on VoIP and cloud services.
Use built-in router tools or third-party platforms to:
Routing efficiency plays a critical role in latency. Intelligent routing ensures data takes the shortest and least congested path possible. Redundant routing paths and network infrastructure offer failover solutions during outages or traffic surges, maintaining consistent latency levels for critical applications even under strain. Platforms that use intelligent routing, like 1stConnect, improve efficiency by avoiding congested pathways and helping to maintain consistent latency even under high network load.
Staff members should understand how latency manifests—such as delayed responses in VoIP calls, lag during video meetings, or slow access to shared documents. Creating internal guides and troubleshooting checklists can help employees identify latency-related issues and respond appropriately before escalating to IT support. Empower your team to identify symptoms like slow load times or dropped calls. Combine awareness with documented troubleshooting steps to minimize downtime.
Partnering with a provider that understands network responsiveness—not just speed—is crucial. A latency-aware provider focuses on minimizing the time it takes for data to travel through the network and return a response. This includes optimizing routing paths, reducing unnecessary hops, managing network congestion, and offering infrastructure specifically designed for real-time communication. Providers that proactively monitor and fine-tune latency metrics are better equipped to support applications such as VoIP, telehealth, and cloud-based collaboration tools. Choose a partner like 1stel who understands the difference between fast internet and responsive internet. We specialize in optimizing systems for businesses where timing is critical.
Latency has a direct impact on the responsiveness of cybersecurity systems. When latency is high, there can be delays in real-time threat detection, firewall enforcement, and multi-factor authentication workflows. This creates small but exploitable windows for attacks. Conversely, low-latency environments enhance incident response capabilities by ensuring that logs, alerts, and protective mechanisms are processed immediately. For industries that rely on fast threat identification—like finance or healthcare—managing latency becomes a cybersecurity necessity. High latency can delay security alerts or authentication steps. Low latency networks improve threat response and system logging in real time.
A latency audit helps isolate where slowdowns occur—whether at the user level, internal network, or internet provider. Key metrics to assess include average ping time, jitter, packet loss, and route efficiency. IT teams can use tools such as traceroute and performance monitoring software to identify chokepoints. Evaluate if equipment like routers, switches, or endpoints are causing bottlenecks. Network segmentation and hardware upgrades may be necessary for consistent low-latency performance. Not sure where your latency issues stem from? We provide consultations and latency audits tailored for assisted living, healthcare, and small business environments.
Latency is the delay before a transfer of data begins, while bandwidth is the amount of data that can be transferred in a given time. A network may have high bandwidth but still suffer from delays if routing is inefficient or server response times are slow. For example, a 1 Gbps connection with high latency may still underperform for voice calls or cloud platforms. Businesses should evaluate both metrics to ensure real-time applications run smoothly. Many confuse latency with bandwidth, but they are distinct. Bandwidth refers to the amount of data transmitted over time, while latency is the delay in transmission. High bandwidth can still suffer from latency, especially if routing is inefficient or equipment is outdated.
Packet loss occurs when data packets fail to reach their destination. In response, systems request retransmission, which increases total data delivery time. This adds to latency, especially in video conferencing, file transfers, or VoIP. Common causes include network congestion, hardware faults, or wireless interference. Continuous monitoring for packet loss can help identify and resolve issues before they degrade user experience. When data packets are lost in transmission, systems must retransmit them. This process increases overall latency. Monitoring packet loss alongside latency gives a clearer picture of network health and performance.
Jitter is the variability in packet arrival times. Even if average latency is low, high jitter causes problems like choppy audio, video distortion, or unpredictable system responses. Jitter is commonly caused by queueing delays, route changes, or inconsistent network buffering. Minimizing jitter involves traffic shaping, prioritizing packets with QoS settings, and maintaining consistent bandwidth availability across all devices. Jitter refers to inconsistent packet arrival times. While latency is the average delay, jitter is the variation. High jitter disrupts VoIP and video calls, leading to choppy audio and missed cues. Stabilizing jitter is just as important as reducing latency.
Hybrid work setups involve employees using different internet connections and devices across various locations. This introduces inconsistent latency levels that affect collaboration tools, VoIP, or shared platforms. Standardizing hardware, enforcing VPN performance benchmarks, and running latency audits per location can ensure smoother connectivity. Additionally, edge computing or regional CDNs may help improve performance for distributed teams. Businesses supporting both on-site and remote workers face unique latency challenges. Network performance can vary widely between employee setups. Deploying uniform tools and conducting latency assessments ensures everyone stays productive.
Different types of applications respond differently to latency. Real-time tools like VoIP, video conferencing, online gaming, and financial trading platforms require latency under 100ms to operate smoothly. Any spike above this threshold can disrupt synchronization, reduce responsiveness, or cause transaction errors. Meanwhile, asynchronous applications like email or software downloads can tolerate higher latency without major impact. It’s essential for IT teams to map application latency sensitivity and apply differentiated resource allocation—through prioritization and QoS settings—based on these requirements. Some apps are more sensitive to latency than others. VoIP, gaming, and real-time trading platforms require sub-100ms latency, while email or file downloads are more forgiving. Prioritize network resources for latency-sensitive tools to maintain workflow quality.
Old firmware, outdated operating systems, or drivers can limit the efficiency of modern networking hardware and create unnecessary latency. Devices may fail to recognize newer protocols or optimize packet handling, leading to fragmented data paths and longer processing times. Regularly updating firmware and maintaining system compatibility across the network stack helps ensure that latency is minimized at both endpoint and network levels. Older firmware or outdated operating systems can increase latency by failing to support newer, faster communication protocols. Routine updates help keep systems optimized and responsive.
Quality of Service (QoS) settings let you prioritize critical traffic—like video conferencing—over less urgent data. Adaptive QoS tools can automatically adjust priorities based on network behavior, maintaining responsiveness where it matters most.
Latency isn’t just a technical metric—it’s a real barrier to effective business communication. From video calls to cloud platforms, every delay matters. Reducing latency helps avoid confusion, increase efficiency, and protect your customer experience.
Contact us today for a tailored latency audit or network upgrade consultation.