IPv6 marks its 30th anniversary, yet industry-wide adoption remains slow despite its technical superiority over IPv4. Originally designed to resolve IPv4 address limitations, IPv6 offers expansive capacity with 128-bit addressing. However, uneven progress persists as many organisations retain dual-stack deployments to mitigate compatibility and vendor support issues. Existing infrastructure, lack of clear ROI, and ingrained IPv4 expertise stall widespread transition.
Major mobile operators and Asia-Pacific providers lead the way, driven by necessity, while others proceed cautiously. The future is clear—IPv6 is set to become the standard. IT leaders should monitor vendor support, run pilot projects, and ensure new network investments are IPv6-ready to avoid future obsolescence.
IPv6 at 30: Why Network Transition Remains a Work in Progress
