KOREAv6 (KOREA IPv6) pilot project will be started in the later half of this year. This pilot project aims to commercialize IPv6 in next-generation telecommunications services including VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) and WiBro (Wireless Broadband).


IPv6 is the next-generation Internet Protocol which evolved from IPv4 due to the shortage of Internet domains and resultant suggestions for a diverse Internet Protocol address system. IPv6 was standardized by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) in 1988 and expected to provide 128-bit addresses, four times longer than the 32-bit IPv4 addresses.


KOREAv6 project has been in incubation since 2004 by the National Computerization Agency (NCA) and the Ministry of Information and Communication.


NCA has announced April 23 a tender for KOREAv6 pilot project and will receive proposals by the end of April. The final proposals will be decided in May.


NCA also said that Past tenders for pilot projects were used to focus on the specific items, but this time we will let the companies to suggest their own models for applying IPv6 more freely, which implicates the necessity of the new model to commercialize IPv6 in next-generation telecommunications services such as VoIP.


Final two project owners for KOREAv6 will be selected and expected to get the investment of 1.5 million USD by government and at least 3 million USD by public-private partnership.


WiBro companies such as KT, SK Telecom are planning to start WiBro service using commercial IPv6 in 2007 through this pilot project of WiBro based on IPv6.


Mobile IPv6 used for seamless switch between landline and wireless networks is key to adoption of next-generation convergence service such as WiBro, VoIP and home networking, said a manager at a telecoms carrier. Mobile IPv6 is expected to create new markets in telecoms service as well as networking gear and handset areas.