How the Internet Works 10 March 2017

Verizon to stop issuing static IPv4 addresses

Verizon Wireless recently announced that it will stop issuing static IPv4 addresses from 30 June this year. This is due to the shortage of public IPv4 addresses since the IPv4 address pool was exhausted in North America.

Whilst customers that already have static IPv4 addresses will continue to be able to use these, new customers or those requiring additional addresses will need to obtain an IPv6 prefix and possibly upgrade to equipment that will support this.

There doesn’t appear to be any mention of what size IPv6 prefixes will be assigned, but the press release does indicate that devices will be provided with unique IPv6 addresses that will persist whilst the device is connected to the Verizon Wireless network.

So the effects of IPv4 address exhaustion are starting to be seen, and IPv6 deployment is inevitable if you want to expand the Internet. So please take a look at Start Here page to find out more about the steps you can take!

Disclaimer: Viewpoints expressed in this post are those of the author and may or may not reflect official Internet Society positions.

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