EC survey highlights lack of leadership regarding internet development
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A survey commissioned by the European Commission (EC) and conducted by TNO and GNKS Consult in cooperation with the RIPE NCC, a not-for-profit organisation that supports the infrastructure of the Internet, reveals that organisations in Europe, Middle East and parts of Central Asia have been slow to adopt IPv6, the next-generation of Internet addressing protocol. This is jeopardising Internet growth and socio-economic development in these regions.
Every device linked to the Internet needs an IP address to connect with the rest of the devices on the network, but the current version of IP addresses, IPv4, is running out. Soon, less than 10 per cent of unassigned IPv4 addresses will remain, and the current address pool will be completely depleted by 2011. The timely, global deployment of IPv6 is vital to ensuring the continued growth and stability of the Internet.
The IPv6 Deployment Monitoring Survey found that out of 610 respondents, including government bodies, ISPs and other technology organisations and educational institutions, only 17 per cent are using IPv6. Moreover, 92 per cent of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have no IPv6 in use, or report insignificant IPv6 traffic.
Almost half (48 per cent) of organisations polled outside of the EU recognised that the shortage of IPv4 addresses poses a threat for Internet development. Yet, less than a third (30 per cent) of EU organisations were concerned over the implications that the depletion of IPv4 address space might have.
Detlef Eckert, Director in Directorate-General Information Society and Media at the European Commission, commented: "In the last ten years, the Internet has become hugely important worldwide from a socio-economic perspective. Only by ensuring that all devices connected to the Internet are compatible with IPv6 can we stay connected and safeguard sustainable growth of the Internet and the global digital economy, now and in the years to come."
According to Maarten Botterman, Director of GNKS Consult and leading researcher on the survey, nearly 70 per cent of respondents indicated the lack of a perceived business need as their main reason for not planning IPv6 deployment. Moreover, almost 60 per cent cited a lack of user demand as the biggest barrier to adoption. Still, the need to be 'ahead of the game' was cited by almost 80 per cent of EU respondents as the most significant driver for deploying IPv6.
Axel Pawlik, managing director of the RIPE NCC, said: "If organisations fail to adopt IPv6 in time, their customers, partners and other key stakeholders may be unable to access critical services. This could have hugely detrimental social and economic implications for us all.
"Still, there is light at the end of the tunnel, as 79 per cent of respondents from the EU region have, or are in the process of sourcing IPv6 addresses to ensure they are well-prepared for IPv4 depletion. The education sector is leading the way, with about 97 per cent of education institutions already planning for IPv6. Organisations in other sectors and regions should now make IPv6 adoption a priority in order to protect the future growth of the Internet and ensure access for all."
For information on IPv4 depletion and how to adopt IPv6, please visit www.IPv6ActNow.org
Summary of Key Findings
• Only 17 per cent of respondents use IPv6; 92 per cent of ISPs have no IPv6 in use, or IPv6 traffic is insignificant
• 79 per cent of EU respondents have sourced or have considered sourcing IPv6 addresses
• EU sectors considering an IPv6 allocation: education (96 per cent); government organisations (53 per cent); ISPs (82 per cent)
• Reasons stated for not considering IPv6:
> Don't see business need (68 per cent)
> Haven't got around to it (31 per cent)
> Cost of deployment or lack ISP support not major factors (both less than 20 per cent)
• 57 per cent cited lack of user demand as the biggest challenge of deploying IPv6
• 75 per cent of EU respondents cited 'want to be ahead of the game' as the main driver for IPv6 deployment
• Availability of IPv4 address space was a bigger issue for non-EU respondents (48 per cent) than EU respondents (30 per cent).
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