What network transmission principle is responsible for poor voice quality in Voice over IP systems?

Jitter refers to the variation in packet arrival times during transmission over a network. In Voice over IP (VoIP) systems, audio data is transmitted in small packets, and for optimal quality, these packets need to arrive at consistent intervals. If packets are delayed or arrive out of order, it can cause gaps or distortions in the audio. High jitter means that there's significant variability in the time it takes for packets to travel across the network, leading to interruptions or choppy audio during calls. This negatively impacts the overall quality of voice communication, making jitter a crucial factor in assessing voice quality in VoIP systems.

In contrast, while latency, packet loss, and bandwidth are all important network parameters, they affect voice quality differently. Latency refers to the delay before a transfer of data begins following a request, which can lead to noticeable delays in conversation. Packet loss refers to the failure of one or more transmitted packets to arrive at their destination, leading to missing audio segments. Bandwidth is the maximum data transfer rate of a network connection, and while inadequate bandwidth can result in problems, it does not inherently cause audio distortion or inconsistency like jitter does.