Latency, additionally referred to as slack or ping rate, isn't as widely discussed compared to other measures such speed, bandwidth and contention proportion.

In any case, on the off chance that you have a business process that requires low latency to work efficiently, you should make sure latency is taken in to consideration when picking both connection type and furthermore the internet service provider that is delivering that connectivity.

What is latency?

In simple terms latency = delay. It is a measure of how long it takes for a unit of data (or "packet") to travel over a network from your device to its intended destination. A Ping is a method of measuring the latency of a network by sending a packet of data to a destination and back once more.

How is latency different to bandwidth?

Bandwidth – which is often referred to as the "speed" of an internet connection – is the measure of data that can be transferred in a set time and is measured in bits per second, for example you may have a FTTC connection capable of transferring data at a rate of 80Mbps.

Latency isn't a rate, it's the measure of the delay in the transferral of data, measured in milliseconds. A network with high latency has a longer delay, therefore low latency is the point.

As a simple example, on a connection with high bandwidth and high latency a website would be delayed in stacking for a brief timeframe, however would stack at the same time when it did. In the event that there was low bandwidth and low latency there'd be no delay in the website beginning to stack however it would take longer to completely stack the page elements.

For what reason is latency significant?

Low latency connectivity is necessary when a delay cannot be tolerated. In spite of the fact that latency is often a significant concern for gamers, it's significant for some, businesses processes that require a quick response, including:

Broadcast: Between the recording of a live TV or public broadcast and its broadcast to the wider world there are numerous steps, for example, encoding, that can include delay. By keeping network latency to an absolute least the broadcast is as close to live as could be expected under the circumstances.

VOIP and Video conferencing: Experiencing "slack" or echoes in a phone call or video conference is baffling and often results in members talking over each other. This interruption is caused by high latency.

High Frequency Trading (HFT): In HFT, markets are analyzed and shares traded at super high speed with the help of powerful computer programs. The traders that demonstration quickest are generally profitable, so low latency networks are imperative here. Essentially, online auctioneers likewise require a low latency connection.

CCTV monitoring: For clear reasons, it's significant that there's as meager delay as possible on the network between video being captured at the monitored location and it reaching the person monitoring it.

Paging systems: Emergency paging systems, for example, those used in clinics or by the coastguard ought to be run over a low latency network that ensures as meager delay as possible when time is of the essence.

How would I get low latency broadband?

The latency of your connection is somewhat dependent on the connectivity technology you're utilizing; some types of connection are inherently lower in latency than others. An ADSL broadband connection has lower latency than a FTTC or FTTP connection, while latency on a leased line will be significantly – and consistently – lower.

Your choice of ISP will likewise affect the latency of your connection. A congested broadband network results in increased latency, as can traffic shaping. In the event that low latency connectivity is integral to your business operations, search for an internet service provider that focuses on giving a network low congestion, invests in head of the range technology and creates direct connects to ensure data can get where it's going to quickly.

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