Techniques are provided to allow a jitter buffer to automatically reach a quiescent number of packets in the jitter buffer, based on current network conditions. Generally, no explicit jitter buffer delay is assumed, and a current packet is repeat played if no new packets are available in the jitter buffer. If there are too many packets in the jitter buffer, a newly received packet is discarded. When a packet is replayed, the delay associated with a jitter buffer is effectively increased. This is not an explicit jitter buffer delay, but, instead, there is an implicit delay associated with the jitter buffer. When a packet is discarded, the delay associated with a jitter buffer is effectively decreased. Again, this is an implicit jitter buffer delay. By repeat playing packets and discarding packets when the jitter buffer is full, an appropriate level of packets may be determined and maintained in the jitter buffer.