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Adoption of Mobile IPv6 Picks Up Steam 2006/04/21 By Joo Sang-don The mobile IPv6 era is expected to take off, accelerating adoption of the next-generation Internet protocol for wireless telecoms service. Major telecoms carriers are rushing to kick off test service that uses IPv6 address for wireless Internet Wi-Bro and mobile phone network CDMA, and handset and gear makers are moving fast to develop mobile IPv6 protocol stacks and home agents. The existing IPv4 mobile system, whih uses premise IP network environments due to the lack of Internet addresses, has been limiting service of multimedia content and data communication including mobile IP, P2P and video calls. With new mobile IPv6, service providers can roll out customized offerings such as ring tone, messages, movies, animations and language lectures by using unlimited Internet address resources. KT installed IPv6-based access points (APs) and mobile IP equipment at the campus of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology late last year, launching Wi-Bro test service. Using the new service, professors and employees of the school can access a variety of content via the IPv6 portal after subscribing to Wi-Bro service. Moda Information Communication unveiled a mobile IPv6 protocol stack for mobile phone. The company recently conducted a successful test over CDMA networks in league with a wireless operator, delivering real-time chat and music download over BREW platform installed in mobile phones. iBIT developed `4Six-1000M` mobile IPv6 home agent equipment used for Wi-Bro and BcN service, and is now in a test service with a wireless operator. The new product, which adopts IPv6 core router stack (iBITv6 OS v1.0), allows mobile IPv6 subscribers to enjoy seamless service while moving from a landline to a wireless network. "Mobile IPv6 used for seamless switch between landline and wireless networks is key to adoption of next-generation convergence service such as Wi-Bro, VoIP and home networking," said a manager at a network operator. "Mobile IPv6 is expected to create new markets in telecoms service as well as networking gear and handset areas."