Why is latency considered a crucial KPI in Cloud RAN evaluation?

Latency is deemed a crucial Key Performance Indicator (KPI) in Cloud RAN evaluation because it directly reflects the speed at which data can travel through the network. In a Cloud RAN architecture, low latency is essential for enhanced user experiences in various applications, such as real-time communications, online gaming, and virtual reality, where delays can lead to significant performance issues.

The performance and responsiveness of applications heavily depend on how quickly data can be transmitted and received. High latency can introduce delays that negatively affect application performance, resulting in user dissatisfaction. Therefore, measuring and optimizing latency helps ensure that the network can perform efficiently and meet the demands of modern applications and services, reinforcing its critical role in overall network evaluation and performance assessment.

In contrast to other potential factors, such as the number of users that can connect or the amount of data processed, latency specifically addresses the time it takes for data packets to travel, which is key for providing seamless connectivity and responsiveness in Cloud RAN environments.