More France IP Communications Stories
September 03, 2010
TMCnet Contributor
Cisco (News - Alert) has announced that Free (Iliad Group), a leading broadband solutions operator in France, has implemented its Carrier-Grade IPv6 Solution using Internet Protocol version 6 rapid deployment technology, which is also known as 6rd. The technology will enable over four million Free residential broadband customers to be a part of one of the world's largest live IPv6-enabled residential Internet service deployments.
In a press release, Maxime Lombardini, chief executive officer of Free, said, “Free is committed to providing the latest innovations for its customers, including full support today for the IP Next-Generation Network, IPv6. We have chosen the Cisco Series Aggregation Services Routers ASR 1000 router for their support of an integrated high-performance IPv6 Rapid Deployment or 6rd technology, which allows us to supply IPv6 to our users in a remarkably simple and cost-efficient manner."
Implementation of 6rd will help Free to mitigate the impending IPv4 address exhaustion, while scaling its network to address the rapid growth of Internet-connected devices. Deploying 6rd allows service providers to offer large-scale IPv6 to customers via their existing IPv4-access network infrastructure and backend systems. The technology also significantly reduces the lead-time to IPv6 deployment for service providers while protecting their existing network investment.
Mark Townsley, former IETF Internet Area director, Cisco’s distinguished engineer, and co-author of the 6rd standards specification said, "It is critical that service providers have the tools necessary to see IPv6 deployed to users before the lack of IPv4 addresses stifles the growth and evolution of the Internet. As a user of Free's 6rd deployment, I get a preview into the next-generation Internet with an abundance of global addresses far surpassing what is available today with IPv4. 6rd has allowed Free to deploy IPv6 quickly and easily to my home, and I look forward seeing many more IPv6 users coming online around the world."
Cisco made news last month when it was speculated that the company might acquire Skype (News - Alert), a Luxembourg-based provider of voice, video and text conversations over the Internet, for approximately $5,000 million.
Sujata Garud is a TMCnet freelancer with three years of writing/editing experience and two years of market research experience. As an editor she has covered the IT, electronics, banking, pharma, construction, mining and healthcare industries. To see more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.
Edited by Patrick Barnard