What type of traffic does Quality of Service (QoS) most significantly affect?

Quality of Service (QoS) primarily affects real-time applications like VoIP because these types of traffic demand consistent and timely delivery of data packets. VoIP relies on the swift transfer of voice packets with minimal delays, jitter, and packet loss, as these factors can disrupt conversation flow and lead to poor call quality.

QoS mechanisms prioritize this real-time traffic over less critical data, ensuring that voice packets are transmitted swiftly and reliably, even during times of congestion on the network. By managing bandwidth and prioritizing certain types of traffic, QoS plays a crucial role in maintaining the integrity and quality of real-time communications, making it essential for applications that require immediate responsiveness and high levels of service fidelity.