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What is latency?

ComCast sets for apps such as Apple’s FaceTime, Meta’s Mixed Reality Headsets and the app, the GeForce Now Cloud Gaming from Valve or the Steam Cloud Games platform from Valve’s Steam Cloud Games Platform from Apps, Nvidias Now Cloud Gaming or Valve’s Steam Cloud Games -Plattform A new, ultra-low LAG connectivity experience for XFinity internet customers and the apps of apps, the GeForce Now Cloud Gaming from Valve. We spoke to Jason Livingood, VP, Technology Policy, Products and Standards that led COMCAST work on technology, which is responsible for providing this extremely little experience of what it means for customers and the future of their connected experience .

Q: This start is an exciting development in Comcast’s search to offer customers the best connectivity experiences. But can we step back and ask – what is latency?

A: Latency – referred to as “delay” or “delay” – is the measure of the time that needs data to get from a customer to a server on the Internet and back. So think about how quickly a game controller command in your house would take to travel to Nvidia’s GeForce Now Gaming servers and back.

If you keep this delay as low as possible, it is of crucial importance for every use in which a user interacts with a screen or another device. This can play, video conferences, webbrowsing, how quickly Siri or Alexa responds to a voice request and even video stream start time.

A large number of factors affect latency, including how far the data-that we call packages (in your region compared to the entire country), the functionality of your home Wi-Fi, user hardware and software, etc. If the latency is not uniform and user experiences vary from home to home.

You really notice latency if you use applications that require interactive experience such as playing. From Fortnite to Call of Duty to Gran Turismo you can easily imagine how even slight delays in controller inputs and changes on the screen can be the difference between profits and lose. You will definitely notice it if you use Microsoft teams, Apple Facetime and Zoom. You do not want delays to interrupt the interruption of your conversation, and no audio or video drops.

Q: Okay, when it comes to how quickly the data differentiates to the speed, does the latency differ?

A: Great question. Speed ​​and latency are unique performance indicators for broadband quality, but they are often confused. We were conditioned to assume that speed on the Internet is “fast”. When latency becomes lower, you will recognize things faster and faster because the circular times are lower. The lower latency actually feels “faster” than a connection with a lot of delay.

And “speed” is really a wrong name. “Speed” refers to bandwidth – the total capacity that can be transmitted via a connection at the same time. A higher speed – or more bandwidth – means that a file download or a upload can be completed in a shorter time. With the massive speeds that we today offer customers today, it is unlikely that you will perceive the incremental difference between very high bandwidth levels.

In fact, the applications that our customers use have shifted from simple downloads to applications that are interactive, although latency is really important. People often accuse “speed” when their internet buffer or video freezes, but these are all problems that occur when the latency is very high and variable.

Q: Okay, I understand the difference between the two, but why is latency so important? Why isn’t the speed enough?

A: So what is interesting about the latency is that it is really application or use. If you download a large game file, the latency is irrelevant because a simple download does not require reaction in real time. These downloads appear in the background anyway – we don’t often stare at a screen that is waiting for a download.

On the other hand, when we look at a screen and tap or click on something, we want something to happen immediately, and that depends on a low latency. Low latency is of crucial importance for applications such as video conferences, games and e-learning. Things contain continuous real -time inputs and interactivity in which a consistently low latency has one gigantic Effects on the general customer experience.

If you felt the frustration to stay frozen when calling for a zoo or to lose a showdown in Call of Duty due to a slow keyboard stop or even if you saw a “buffer” symbol during streaming, you were affected by high latency.

And latency is just as important for application providers as for our customers. That is why we were able to work with a few real industry leaders and Apple, Nvidia, Meta and valve combination to bring our experience with little ones to customers.

Ultimately, latency is one of the greatest improvement options for customer experiences as latency-dependent applications such as video conferences, cloud games, conversation AI and AR/VR grow. The advantages that our customers receive today are only better because our extremely low LAG connectivity experience further expands its effects.

Q: How can comcast lower the latency in his network? How does it work?

A: Our experience with extremely low LAG Connectivity is the product of a considerable development and investment that we have made in our network to provide so-called latency docisis, a cablelabs technology standard that implemented the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) low latency with low Loss of scalable throughput (L4S) Open standards. The L4S standards stipulate how network connections such as your Internet gateway can implement a new processing function for data packages that are marked with latency sensations and thus achieve a lower-fold-down delay experience for customers.

As part of these standards, app developers mark the latency-sensitive traffic z. B. video conferences, games and virtual reality, so that LLD can then manage the low latency flows in order to optimize the application and quality for customers who use these applications. We are pleased to have Meta, Apple, Nvidia and Valve as an employee at the start after our first test work and strive to work with every app developer who supports the new IETF standards. The application marking is completely voluntary and available for use at no special costs, agreement or proprietary API.

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