Telstra has begun offering IPv6 support for its business ADSL services.
As the number of of Internet-enabled devices has grown, the exhaustion of the 4 billion addresses offered by IPv4 has necessitated the adoption of IPv6, which provides around 340 undecillion IP addresses.
“The deployment of IPv6 into Telstra’s network is an on-going program of work, and we’ll make this available for other services such as fixed consumer and our wireless networks over time,” David Robertson, director transport and routing engineering, said in a statement.
Report: Non-profit NBN ISP overcomes IPv4 address shortage
Telstra already has IPv6 capability on its Internet Direct network for enterprise, government and wholesale customers and on its IP VPN Next IP network for medium to large businesses.
“As stocks of IPv4 addresses diminish globally, we need to continue moving to the new addressing system. By dual stacking IPv4 and IPv6 in our network, customers can opt into IPv6 in their own time, and according to the lifecycle upgrade of their own equipment,” Robertson said.
“We’re developing the network capability so customers can commence the move to IPv6 as it suits them.”
While small to medium businesses will be able to opt in to IPv6, Robertson said as IPv6 becomes the “norm” over the coming years, customers will need to opt out if they want to continue using IPv4.
One year after the World IPv6 Launch Day, the Internet industry has reported steady progress moving users around the world to IP addressing standard. However, Australia continues to lag behind other companies in IPv6 uptake.
Follow Stephanie McDonald on Twitter: @stephmcdonald0
Follow Computerworld Australia on Twitter: @ComputerworldAU