[rpd] IPv6 as a criteria in IPv4 Soft Landing AFPUB-2026-v6-001-DRAFT01.

Mon Jul 6 08:41:56 UTC 2026

Hi Christian,

Yes, that’s true as well, but the difference is that those operators (for example the case of Spain, which I know very well), aren’t in a hurry for IPv6 deployment, because:
1) They already invested long time ago in getting more IPv4 addressed that they need, indirectly via M&A. Several of them have extra IPv4 addresses.
2) Some times they also invested in CGN boxes (specially in mobile networks).

In the specific case of Spain, I did consultancy for all the major operators already in 2011-2013 time frame. I’ve even worked with some of them in 2002. So I know very well the situation and specific rationales. Note also that 464XLAT was not available at that time. For me is a shame that IPv6 deployment in my own country is not progressing as well as it should be. We say here (free translation, I’m sure you have an equivalent sentence): “you can’t be a prophet in your own land”.

The main difference here is that many operators in Africa haven’t sufficient IPv4 addresses, so what we are proposing is, instead of investing in CGN with is a bad solution in the long term, you can invest in IPv6 deployment. It is easy to demonstrate that it is actually much cheaper. 464XLAT needs much less IPv4 addresses (for the PLAT IPv4 pool) than CGN (NAT444). In addition to that, IPv4 pools in CGN (NAT444) when detected by some service provider, such as Sony Network Play Station, get blocked in a black-list which is never cleaned, so you get an IPv4 block (or you already have it), and becomes useless if you have gammers (is an example, it happens with other services) in your network.

RFC

Regards,
Jordi

@jordipalet

> El 5 jul 2026, a las 12:26, Bope Domilongo Christian <christianbope at gmail.com> escribió:
> 
> 
> 
> On Sun, 28 Jun 2026 at 11:16, jordi.palet--- via RPD <rpd at afrinic.net <mailto:rpd at afrinic.net>> wrote:
>> Fortunately, deploying 464XLAT in mobile networks (the only way to go) is much easier and cheaper than in wireline. Vendors of both UEs and packet switch mobile networks support it very well since many years ago. The point, as usual, is to have the expertise and not trust what vendors try to sell you.
>> 
>> Is not just a matter of teaching IPv6. In a training you don’t get the experience. There is a good reason why consultancy companies have a business: it is much cheaper to trust an experienced consultant (vendor independent) than a vendor and you avoid all the mistakes of lack of experience.
> 
> Hi Jordi,
> 
> 464XLAT is indeed well supported in mobile networks, but saying the main barrier is “lack of experience” doesn’t match the data. If experience were the decisive factor, operators in high‑GDP countries like Spain and Italy — with large engineering teams and easy access to consultants — wouldn’t be lagging in APNIC Labs measurements ( https://stats.labs.apnic.net/ipv6/XE). 
> 
> Yet they are.
> This shows the real issue isn’t consultant scarcity, but operator‑level prioritization. IPv6 only moves when the dominant networks decide it matters.
> 
>  @christianbope <>
>> Regards,
>> Jordi
>> 
>> @jordipalet
>> 
>> > El 27 jun 2026, a las 20:32, Ben Roberts - AfriNIC via RPD <rpd at afrinic.net <mailto:rpd at afrinic.net>> escribió:
>> > 
>> > Alain,
>> > I am with you on this. 
>> > I was talking about this yesterday with someone. It seems we have been doing the same things with IPv6 capacity building for best part of 15 years and still it’s not really pushing (mass) adoption. Yet we keep doing the same things. …..
>> > 
>> > Most Africans connect to the phone via mobile. Manu of them through the “big 5” of African MNO groups. 
>> > 
>> > We need to focus our IPv6 efforts around 5 groups of MNOs plus 4 vendors (2 from China, 2 from Scandinavia).
>> > 
>> > These 9 companies know who they are…. Some of them are represented here….  
>> > 
>> > Then if they start deploying IPv6 then 700M Africans will be using IPv6
>> > 
>> > The rest will fall into place…. 
>> > 
>> > Cheers
>> > 
>> > Ben
>> > 
>> > 
>> > Sent from my iPhone
>> > 
>> >> On 27 Jun 2026, at 20:52, ALAIN AINA via RPD <rpd at afrinic.net <mailto:rpd at afrinic.net>> wrote:
>> >> 
>> >> 
>> >> 
>> >>> On 26 Jun 2026, at 07:16, Benson Muite <benson_muite at emailplus.org <mailto:benson_muite at emailplus.org>> wrote:
>> >>> 
>> >>> "jordi.palet--- via RPD" <rpd at afrinic.net <mailto:rpd at afrinic.net>> writes:
>> >>> 
>> >>>> Hi Seun,
>> >>>> 
>> >>>> I will actually say personally, the only acceptable X=1, but happy to concede with 2. Hopefully we don’t have a discussion and every participant chose a different number, as this is the typical issue when asking for a decision of “number of whatever” in trying to reach consensus.
>> >>> 
>> >>> The low adoption rate is worrying.  Clear criteria to justify IPv4
>> >>> maybe helpful.  If one gets IPv4, IPv6 is free.  It is good that Afrinic
>> >>> is doing outreach to universities. From Africa Gabon seems to have the
>> >>> highest percentage capability:
>> >>> https://stats.labs.apnic.net/ipv6
>> >>> India also has good adoption and a diverse set of people in the internet
>> >>> industry.  Understanding what has lead to adoption in these places may
>> >>> help guide whether what new policies sohuld be adopted if any and how to
>> >>> complement these with outreach and education activities.
>> >> 
>> >> 
>> >> A few years ago, I published an analysis of IPv6 uptake in Africa, examining adoption from multiple angles, including infrastructure readiness, operator behaviour, and user‑access patterns. One of the key findings was the positive impact of new market entrants, particularly those who deployed IPv6‑capable networks from day one. That dynamic remains relevant today.
>> >> 
>> >> Unfortunately, the overall situation has not changed significantly. The user‑access layer continues to be the weakest point in the regional IPv6 ecosystem. Given that Africa’s Internet is overwhelmingly mobile‑centric, meaningful progress depends on Mobile Internet Service Providers taking deliberate steps to enable IPv6 at scale. Without their participation, adoption will remain slow regardless of improvements elsewhere in the ecosystem.
>> >> 
>> >> There are, however, some recent initiatives underway:
>> >>  -  The ICANN grant to the African Telecommunications Union (ATU) to support IPv6 deployment in 30 African countries is a major development.
>> >>  -  ATU has already published an interim implementation report, outlining early progress and challenges.
>> >> 
>> >> These efforts complement AFRINIC’s ongoing outreach, including engagement with universities and technical communities.
>> >> -----
>> >> 
>> >> https://www.digitalintelligence.africa/publications/alain/AFRICA-and-IPv6-uptake.html
>> >> https://www.icann.org/en/grant-program/first-cycle-funded-projects#deployment-ipv6-african-countries
>> >> https://atuuat.africa/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/ATU_IPv6_First_Interim_Status_Report_Sep-Dec_2025.pdf
>> >> https://atuuat.africa/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Africa-IPv6-Development-White-Paper_double-page-version.pdf
>> >> 
>> >> 
>> >> —Alain
>> >> 
>> >> 
>> >> 
>> >> 
>> >>> 
>> >>> 
>> >>>> 
>> >>>> I will also say that X is only for “single” allocations/assigments, in the sense that if you are doing something for HA (one of the policies that reached consensus yesterday), you must do it with IPv6. There is no sense that you deploy, today, an HA infrastructure without IPv6. What do you think ?
>> >>>> 
>> >>>> Regards,
>> >>>> Jordi
>> >>>> 
>> >>>> @jordipalet
>> >>>> 
>> >>>>> El 25 jun 2026, a las 2:37, Seun Ojedeji <seun.ojedeji at gmail.com <mailto:seun.ojedeji at gmail.com>> escribió:
>> >>>>> 
>> >>>>> Hi Jordi,
>> >>>>> 
>> >>>>> ----
>> >>>>> Sent from my mobile
>> >>>>> kindly excuse typos
>> >>>>> 
>> >>>>> On Wed, 24 Jun 2026, 6:14 pm jordi.palet--- via RPD, <rpd at afrinic.net <mailto:rpd at afrinic.net> <mailto:rpd at afrinic.net <mailto:rpd at afrinic.net>>> wrote:
>> >>>>>> .
>> >>>>>> 
>> >>>>>> So there is no difference in now setting a policy that clearly say, you get more IPv4, but you must also deploy IPv6.
>> >>>>>> 
>> >>>>>> We could also do something slightly different, I’m not sure if this is what Seun tried to say in the mic earlier this afternoon.
>> >>>>>> 
>> >>>>>> We don’t give any more IPv4 resources if you already got them previously. This has been done by most of the other RIRs. Will you agree with that? Only newcomers can get IPv4.
>> >>>>> 
>> >>>>> 
>> >>>>> SO: More like you don't get IPv4 resources if you already got it for X number of times in the current phase unless you meet the IPv6 deployment plan requirements. My intention is for X not !=Once
>> >>>>> 
>> >>>>> Regards
>> >>>>>> 
>> >>>>>> Now, as a 2nd part of the proposal, resources left (even recovered), can be provided to anyone who also deploy IPv6, regardless of being a newcomer or an existing member.
>> >>>>>> 
>> >>>>>> What do you think?
>> >>>>>> 
>> >>>>>> Regards,
>> >>>>>> Jordi
>> >>>>>> 
>> >>>>>> @jordipalet
>> >>> 
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>> >> 
>> >> 
>> >> 
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