Low-Latency Streaming: Is It Important?

Imagine you’re watching a live football match online. Just as your team is about to score, the video freezes. Moments later, it jumps forward to show the players celebrating, and the thrill of seeing the goal live is lost. 

Instead of experiencing the thrill in real-time, you’re left catching up, the moment dulled by the delay, known as “latency.” In streaming, latency can make or break the experience, especially for events where timing is everything. 

What Does Latency Mean? 

Latency refers to the delay from sending data until it’s received and displayed on a user’s screen. In streaming and online activities, this delay impacts how quickly a live event, action, or interaction is reflected for the viewer. 

The length of latency (the delay between data transmission and reception) can fluctuate due to several factors, each of which affects how quickly data reaches its destination. 

First, the technology used in the streaming process can impact latency. For instance, certain streaming protocols are designed to optimise for lower latency, while others may prioritise video quality over speed. 

Advanced technologies, like fibre-optic cables, transmit data much faster than older methods, such as copper cables. These advancements reduce latency and enhance your real-time experience, whether you’re streaming videos or enjoying video games, like playing live action from EA Sports or playing live casino from Betway.

Second, the physical distance that data needs to travel can increase latency. Data often moves across multiple servers, sometimes spanning continents, before reaching the viewer. For example, in livestreaming, where immediacy matters, latency can become noticeable if the data travels long distances. 

If a player in New Zealand engages with a live casino game hosted on a server in the US, for example, the data has to travel thousands of miles, introducing a delay. Content delivery networks (CDNs) often minimise this by storing data closer to the end user, reducing travel time and enhancing the sense of real-time play.

Third, network quality and congestion are significant factors in determining latency. High-speed, reliable internet connections, such as those provided by fibre-optic networks, allow data to travel faster than older, slower connections. Stable connections also reduce the chances of interruptions, which is essential for smooth streaming and real-time activities where delays can disrupt the experience.

When networks become congested, such as during peak streaming hours, more data competes for bandwidth, causing delays. This congestion can increase latency, leading to slower responses and even interruptions. 

High vs Low Latency

Latency is generally divided into two types: high latency and low latency. High latency means there is a significant delay between sending and receiving data. This type of latency is more common on slower networks or across long distances, where data takes longer to travel from the source to the viewer. 

High latency can make live or interactive experiences feel out of sync as viewers or participants experience actions or events with noticeable delays. This can be particularly disruptive in activities that require real-time engagement, such as gaming or video calls.

Low latency, on the other hand, minimises this delay, allowing data to reach the viewer almost instantly. In low-latency settings, the time gap is so short that the experience feels close to real-time, enhancing immersion and responsiveness. 

Low latency is especially important in applications where every second counts, like watching live sports, playing online multiplayer games or participating in live auctions. Reducing latency in these cases helps maintain a smooth, uninterrupted experience that keeps viewers and participants fully engaged with the content.

Is Low-Latency Streaming Necessary for All Content?

Low latency is crucial for interactive and time-sensitive applications where real-time responsiveness is essential. This includes live gaming, sports events, and financial trading platforms, where even minor delays can affect user engagement, accuracy, and the overall experience. 

For these use cases, low latency minimises the delay between data transmission and reception, allowing users to receive information and respond almost instantly. This real-time interaction is critical in competitive and high-stakes environments, making low-latency streaming an integral part of these applications.

In contrast, low latency does not provide the same benefits for pre-recorded media like movies, series, or instructional videos. These types of content don’t require synchronisation with live events, so slight delays are unnoticeable to viewers. 

Higher latency can enhance the playback experience by allowing additional buffering in these cases. 

Buffering helps maintain smooth, uninterrupted streaming, supports adaptive bitrate adjustments, and ensures high video quality, even on lower-bandwidth connections.

Standard latency protocols are typically sufficient for applications that don’t demand immediate feedback or real-time engagement. Standard latency streaming reduces data consumption, lowers bandwidth costs, and allows for more efficient network resource allocation. This approach is often more cost-effective for content providers, as it supports large-scale streaming without the demands of low-latency infrastructure.

Final Thoughts

Low-latency streaming is essential for real-time activities like gaming and live sports, where instant interaction enhances engagement. However, higher latency can improve video quality and ensure smoother playback for pre-recorded content. Ultimately, the best streaming experience depends on the viewer’s needs and the nature of the content.