Slow channel switching (zapping) often results from heavy transcoding, high playlist size, slow CDN handshake, or inefficient player buffering settings. Some providers route channels from different origins requiring reconnections; others use HLS segments that force buffer warm-up before playback. To improve zapping: enable fast-zap modes if the player supports them, use providers with aggregated low-latency CDNs, reduce channel list size, or use Xtream API logins that support quicker channel switching. Glanfy benchmarks providers for zapping speed as part of quality criteria.