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Entanet - UK Broadband ISPs that Fail to Adopt IPv6 Could be Negligent

Posted: 23rd Jul, 2009 By: MarkJ
Network operator Entanet UK has warned that many broadband ISPs could be missing a "competitive opportunity" by adopting a risky "wait and see" approach to IPv6 adoption. The group, which supplies several ISPs and is itself an early adopter of IPv6, said that some providers could perhaps be deemed "technically negligent" and risk "compromising network performance" by delaying.

For those not in the know, an IPv4 address is assigned to your computer each time you go online (e.g. 123.23.56.98). It is a unique online identifier made up of four number groupings and allows you to communicate with other computers around the world; not unlike a phone number for voice calls.

Sadly IPv4 addresses are predicted to run out by 2012, though some research suggests it could happen as early as next year. Meanwhile its replacement, IPv6, is already somewhat aged and has been waiting in the wings for years. IPv6 is not only longer but also more secure by design. They are 128bits long, written in hexadecimal and separated by colons; for example:
2ffe:1800:3525:3:200:f8ff:fe21:67cf
Neil Watson, Entanet’s Technical Support Manager, said:

"In the worst case this would make it impossible for ISPs to accommodate any more subscribers. In reality IPv6 is already available and some ISPs are already utilising it, including Entanet. Whilst several of our competitors may not be implementing IPv6 just yet I find it hard to believe that any would be so negligent that they actually reach this crisis point without taking action."

Watson notes that many ISPs are using the "lack of customer demand for IPv6" as an excuse for putting off the investment required to bring their networks up to date, which is despite most new hardware already supporting the technology. Like it or not though that cost is coming and may hit sooner than some providers expect.

Watson concludes:

"By making IPv6 available, the ISP holds a competitive edge as there are few early adopters within the market. Plus, IPv6 offers additional benefits such as increased security through the use of IPSec. By adopting a ‘wait and see’ approach (which seems even more pointless when the only option to wait for is the inevitable) ISPs are not only missing a competitive opportunity. They are compromising network performance and perhaps even becoming technically negligent.

As an early adopter of IPv6, Entanet calls on other ISPs to explain why they are holding off. Just what is it that they are waiting for? What benefits can be obtained (apart from delaying inevitable investment) by adopting a ‘wait until we reach the crisis point’ strategy?

As an end user customer you will be affected by your provider’s choice of strategy. Ask them what their plans are for IPv6 adoption. Are they already IPv6 compatible and, if not, when are they planning to implement it?"

Most consumers and even some businesses don't appear to understand the term 'broadband', so they're unlikely to suddenly begin demanding IPv6 from ISPs, but then it's not as if they should. Do we have to demand that special bolts be installed on the rail network to keep it running? Of course not, because it's common sense to do it.

Never the less we agree with Entanet's BLOG that IPv6, whether you like the idea or not, is an essential upgrade and any ISP that doesn't at least have a plan for tackling it could be in for trouble. Customers could be forced to share IP addresses with other users and performance problems might ensue, which is just one of several potential problems.

Related News:
29 April, 2009 - ARIN Warns ISPs - IPv4 Internet Addresses to be Depleted by 2010
16 May, 2008 - OECD Warns of Internet Address (IPv4) Shortage
27 May, 2008 - EC Sets IPv6 Adoption Target of 25% by 2010
20 August, 2008 - ISPs will Fail to Meet IPv6 Adoption Targets
25 September, 2008 - Vint Cerf Warning - The Internet is Still Running out of IPs
04 December, 2008 - IPv6 Uptake Increases by 300 Percent
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