Jitter buffer explanation for executives

Overview

Packet-switched voice chops audio into packets. Jitter is uneven arrival timing; jitter buffers reorder and delay slightly to smooth playout—trade latency for stability.

Analogy

Like a playlist that sometimes shuffles tracks out of order—the buffer waits briefly to sort them before playing.

When buffers hurt

Oversized buffers add latency; users perceive “satellite delay” on rapid back-and-forth talk.

What fixes root cause

QoS marking end-to-end, less contended Wi‑Fi, wired backbone, correct MTU on VPN, avoiding bufferbloat routers.

For QBR slides

Show before/after jitter chart from Call Quality Analytics; tie upgrades to dollars (support time, executive satisfaction).

Boundaries

Technicians should not “increase buffer forever” on SBC as masking tactic—escalate network engineering if chronic.