It's the End of IPv4 as We Know It, and I Feel Fine

The cable industry is well positioned to transition to IPv6 as IPv4 addresses near exhaustion, said Dr. Paul Liao, president and CEO of CableLabs, in a statement. Some experts expect the last IPv4 addresses to run out later this year. CableLabs and its members have been working on the transition for more than six years.At the request of its members, CableLabs began updating its specifications in 2004 to account for IPv6 usage. DOCSIS 3.0 has supported IPv6 addressing from the start, while also allowing for IPv4 compatibility. Backward compatibility is also written into the DOCSIS 2.0, which accommodates the IPv6 protocol through upgraded (3.0-compliant) CMTSs. Likewise, PacketCable 2.0 includes support for IPv6.Comcast and Time Warner Cable both have been conducting field trials of IPv6 deployments, including deployments. Comcast has established a web site for consumers on the protocol transition at http://www.comcast6.net/.