Sprint recently announced plans to roll out several services this year based on IP Version 6 (IPv6), the next-generation Internet Protocol expected to expand IP addressing and accommodate the growing demand for devices and applications with Internet access over the next few years.
The carrier will deliver a portfolio of production-level IPv6 services in the second quarter of the year, with customer trials expected to begin this month. Currently, it is nearing initial beta testing of IPv6 MPLS VPNs on its Peerless IP (PIP) network, which provides a platform that is physically and logically isolated from the public Internet.
Sprint already offers a variety of IP-based services and will continue to expand them in parallel with IPv6 evolution. These services will include Dedicated IP, MPLS VPN, Managed Network Services and consulting services. Federal agencies are expected to be the first to benefit from IPv6, as support for IPv6 is a requirement of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
IPv6 supports wireless, wireline and converged IP network architectures. It enables services to be delivered to federal agencies seeking to comply with the OMB mandate, as well as to customers seeking mobility across platforms and devices.
IPv6 was designed to replace the existing Internet Protocol, IPv4, today’s dominant packet transport protocol, now more than two decades old. With a sharp growth in the demand and usage of the Internet, IPv4 is facing problems with limited space for IP addresses. IPv6 will increase the number of addresses and is also expected to make significant improvements in areas such as routing and autoconfiguration, resulting in better functionality and enhanced security across a variety of devices, including mobile ones.
For more information, visit www.sprint.com.
