LOUISVILLE, CO – CableLabs successfully completed a PacketCable 2.0 SIP call over IPv6 during a two-week IPv6 interoperability event in October, the organization has announced.
IPv6 is the next-generation Internet Protocol and offers virtually an unlimited number of IP addresses compared with IPv4, the current version. CableLabs said that IPv4 is expected to exhaust all addresses attainable from the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority within the next year, and the regional authorities in the subsequent 12 months. IPv6 will enable cable operators to deliver innovative communications and entertainment services to the exploding volume of IP devices, such as smart phones and other consumer IP devices that are driving up the need for more IP addresses.
Representatives from 17 companies worked together to test IPv6 interoperability in a range of products including DOCSIS 3.0 cable modems (CMs), DOCSIS 2.0+IPv6 CMs, cable modem termination systems, PacketCable E-DVAs, e-set-top boxes, provisioning servers, home gateways, large-scale NAT servers, and test tools.
“Suppliers have demonstrated significant progress in their support for IPv6. This is a very important technology for cable operators, and it is encouraging to see such a strong commitment from the industry’s supply community,” said Chris Donley, project director, network protocols at CableLabs, in the announcement.
This was the fourth in a series of semi-annual IPv6 interoperability events. CableLabs’ interoperability events provide vendors with an informal laboratory setting in which they have the opportunity to test their latest products within CableLabs’ headends and testing environment, determine compliance with industry specifications and the ability of their products to interoperate with other devices in an end-to-end system.
