A converged network is a combination of voice, video, and data traffic. Network convergence is a migration from maintaining multiple service-specific networks, namely data voice and video, to a single IP-based network. All services are delivered on the same network, reducing infrastructure costs. Despite the benefits that network convergence provides, it is highly susceptible to network delays, especially for real-time traffic.

Converged networks frequently face the following problems:
* Bandwidth: As all the voice and video networks are combined into one universal converged network, bandwidth capacity becomes a priority.
* Packet loss: When links become congested, packets will be dropped. Voice and video traffic are intolerant of dropped packets.
* Delay: Delay represents the time it takes for packets to traverse the network and reach their destinations. While some delay is expected, delay increases when links are over-subscribed.

Voice and video traffic are intolerant of high or variable delay. A packet that arrives late is no better than a packet that does not arrive. Delays can be variable and fixed.

Fixed delays are constant and mostly induced by the computing software of the hardware devices, such as processing delay and packetization delay.

Variable delays, known as jitter, cause problems for voice and video.