China Mobile, the world’s largest mobile operator by subscribers, is planning to complete IPv6 migration of all its networks by 2016, according to company executive.
Zhou Jianming, general manager of China Mobile’s technology division, said the operator had recently completed IPv6 testing for TD-LTE equipment from eight vendors.
China Mobile, which launched IPv6 trails in 10 provinces last year, said most of its metro area networks now support IPv6 traffic. Zhou said there is still a lack of IPv6-enabled terminals and China Mobile has worked with TD-SCDMA chip maker Leadcore Technology, a subsidiary of the Datang Group, Marvell, ZTE alike to release two TD-SCDMA chip and mobile phone reference design products supporting IPv6, according toMarbridge daily.
According to local media outlet ccid.com, China Mobile aims to launch a number of TD-SCDMA handsets equipped with IPv6-capability, and aims to have 3 million IPv6 users by 2013, as the first phase of its three-stage IPv6 migration plan.
In the second phase, which will commence in 2014 and be finished by 2015, all networks in the developed eastern region and 50% of the networks in the less developed middle and western regions would be able to support IPV6.
China Mobile will also introduce some application and services that support IPv6, and all mobile terminals/handsets being launched by then must be IPv6-capability.
China Mobile is expected to complete the end-to-end IPv6 transition by 2016, including the access network, bearer network, support system, terminals, and applications.