UK ISP Virgin Media Business has today shunned fears that the internet is under capacity and that the new IPv6 addresses are not ready for mass adoption. The comments relate directly to this week's news that IANA had finally distributed its last remaining IPv4 internet addresses to the five world regional registries.

Shortly after that announcement the Number Resource Organization (NRO) promptly predicted that the remaining IPv4 addresses could all be goggled up within the space of a "few weeks to many months". UK ISPs also contacted us to echo their fears, not least about the lack of consumer IPv6 capable broadband routers (here).

Despite these concerns, which could conceivably lead to some connectivity and or performance problems if not addressed by ISPs and manufacturers alike, Virgin has urged firms to stay calm and advised that there is no immediate need for panic.


The issue of "customer demand" is an interesting one that needs to be explored because, generally speaking, few will feel a need to request IPv6 until IPv4 is no longer available. However, ISPs must still be ready for when that inevitable day comes, which could be sooner than expected; if you believe the NRO. Some even suggest that having to request IPv6 in the first place is almost sign of failure because it should be there regardless.

The IPv6 support issues will have less of an impact upon businesses because IPv6 capable hardware is already available. By contrast the vast majority of consumers would have no reason to request IPv6 as they never regarded it as a "feature". It's just a seamless part of the internet, one they never have to see and probably do not even know exists. Nobody should have to "demand" that their shiny new car comes with wheels; you expect it to work, much like IPv6 Readiness.

Indeed if ISPs do their job right than the transition from one platform to the other should remain relatively seamless. If any problems do occur then it will only affect those with the very oldest hardware and software. In either case it looks like we won't have to wait too long before finding out whether or not ISPs are prepared.