SLT joins ‘World IPv6 Launch’ by deploying IPv6 in ISP network

•  SLT’s Next Generation Network is already serving major Government institutes and key enterprise customers on IPv6 ready platform
  
   

Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT), the nation’s number one integrated communications service provider and the leading broadband and backbone infrastructure services provider in the country, proudly announced the successful deployment of IPv6, the world’s latest Internet Protocol (IP) version in its Internet Service Provider (ISP) arm, SLTnet on the world’s IPv6 launch day.

As a dominant player in the internet market, this is part of the company’s commitment to take the country to greater heights and broader dimensions in the ICT arena by bringing home the latest futuristic and cutting-edge technologies.

SLT has IPv6-enabled its corporate web site, http://www.slt.lk, to celebrate the theme of this year’s Global IPv6 day – “This time it is for real” – which was on 6 June. SLT has been operating a separate IPv6-enabled web site, http://www.ipv6.sltnet.lk dedicated to IPv6 information, from 2009. As part of its relentless commitment to business continuity and providing a seamless Internet experience to customers, SLT had already started its adoption of the Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) to ISP platform in the year 2009.  This move was taken in line with global trends and under the direction and guidance of the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) for the country’s ICT industry.

The company is the first Internet Service Provider (ISP) in Sri Lanka to have implemented its network transition towards an IPv6-ready platform. This is a landmark event, carried out in line with the company’s passion and commitment to cater to the internet users’ needs by providing fast access to information at anytime, anywhere and on any device via its Next Generation Network (NGN) architecture. IPv6 provides a much larger IP addressing scheme (128 bits) to replace the already used-up IPv4 address space (32 bits) for sustaining the rapid Internet growth in the world. Major Internet growth is seen in developing nations within the Asia Pacific region where we belong, with the increase of Personal Computer and Smart Phone penetrations.

IPv6 also provides many advantages over IPv4, with the most prominent features being stateless auto configuration, multicasting, fast routing, network layer inbuilt security, support for jumbograms, flexibility for new developments, IP mobility and Quality of Service (QoS).

What IPv6 provides is the foundation and flexibility necessary to develop and deliver the applications and services that are required not only to meet future functionality, but also to make available the critical capabilities that are missing in today’s portfolio of services and thereby fill the existing void. Thus in order to achieve the future potential of IPv6, one needs to build IPv6 routing and addressing strategies not only to focus on the transitional period over the next several years, but also make provision for greater long term functionality in the future. With an IPv6-ready network, SLT is well placed to provide enterprises with a seamless transition from IPv4 to IPv6, and support future IPv6 requirements of these customers in areas such as corporate internet, broadband services and hosted services. Currently, SLT provides internet facility via its nation-wide fiber optic backbone network by using copper based PSTN (Megaline), CDMA (Citylink), Fiber-to-the-Cabinet/FTTC (i-Sri Lanka), Fiber-to-the-Building/FTTB (Metro Ethernet) and Corporate VPN (intelligent solutions) access technologies.  

IPv6 transition brings more opportunities than challenges to the SLT Group - going bey-ond mere business susta-inability. The abundance of IP addresses translates to new areas of innovation in technology that will bring more value to SLT customers.