Caribbean Internet Forum 2008, Day 3 : IPv4 Depletion and IPv6 Deployment (Or, pay attention or you won't have an IP address)

OK, the title is overly dramatic - but if you're reading this, you should be aware of the implications. Read on.

Mr. Raul Echebarria, CEO of LACNIC, speaks about changes in the Internet Protocol Version and it's effects, as well as how LACNIC is attempting to minimize the negatives and maximize the positives. In plain English? IPv4 is running out of available IP addresses, which means that less people will be able to use this protocol.

Understatement: This could be a problem for a developing region, limiting the number of people who can access the Internet. Thus IPv6 is very important.

There will be IPv4 Addresses for many years, but difficulties allocating large (and not so large) continuous blocks - IPv6 could not be broadly used until IPv4 is exhausted or until there are adequate economic incentives... projections on the exhaustion vary between to between February 2010 and May 2011
At some point only there could be IPv6 users..

{w:Network Address Translation|NAT] use is expected to increase. Secondary/Grey markets (because we don't talk about black markets...) will also increase.

LACNIC is working to facilitate the adoption of IPv6 Policies, as well as a waiver for IPv6 related service fees, research funding, promotion activities and training.

As of right now, there are 14 allocations of IPv6 in the LACNIC region.

More statistics can be found here: http://portalipv6.lacnic.net/en/. Worth looking at and digging into - as an example, here's the link to Trinidad and Tobago's statistics on the site.

IPv6 won't replace IPv4 in the short term, but it will in the long term. Receiving IPv6 addresses are not an obstacle, IPv6 is ready for use, and there is a distinct need in the region to promote IPv6 and informing people about it. It could also be a great opportunity for innovation.

Left unattended, the region will end up competing for IPv4 addresses - which will mean more money spent for internet penetration and usage, which in turn will increase the costs to consumers (us).

We need IPv6. Spread the word.