Port to ISPs with IPv6, Nigerians advised

L-r: Executive Director Operations, DigitalSENSE Africa Media, Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke,

chairperson Mrs Ibukun Odusote represented by Mrs Blessing Korie with COO

Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA) Ope Odusan, and Head, IT Systems

at Phase3 Telecom, Mr Benedict Othella speaking @ Nigeria IPv6 Roundtable 2013.

Experts at the 2013 edition of the Nigeria IPv6 Roundtable organized by DigitalSENSE Africa Media and Internet Society Nigeria chapter in Lagos, have urged Nigerian Internet consumers to port their services to only Internet Service Providers (ISPs) who are IPv6 compliant.

This step they argued would fast-track Nigeria’s practical migration to IPv6 from IPv4 which has since exhausted, according to the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). Noteworthy is that Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) is the fourth revision in the development of the Internet Protocol (IP).

Speakers at the Roundtable organized by the DigitalSENSE Africa Media in collaboration with Internet Society Nigerian chapter and support from stakeholders including Phase3 Telecom were in unionism that it’s high time Nigerian Internet users make this demand on ISPs and device manufacturers in the country to ensure that mobile devices coming into Nigeria are made with IPv6 specification.

Some of the speakers at the Roundtable with the theme “IPv6 and Mobile Services in Nigeria,” presided over by pioneer DotNG administrator, Mrs. Ibukun Odusote, who was ably represented by Mrs. Blessing Korie, the chief executive officer, Phase3 Telecom, Mr. Stanley Jegede, who was represented by the Head, Information Systems at Phase3, Mr. Benedict Obaro Othello, the ISOC officer, Mr. John Otueneh who stood in for president of ISOC Nigeria, Engr. Giandomenico Massari, Executive Director, Operations, DigitalSENSE Africa (DSA) Media, Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke, publicity secretary of Nigeria Internet Group (NIG), Mr. Bayero Agabi, chief operating officer, Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA) Mr. Ope Odusan among others.

Laying the foundation for the Roundtable, which was in commemoration of the World IPv6 Day, the Executive Director, Operations at DSA Media, Mrs. Nweke said that the theme was drawn based on the fact that Nigerians are not demand services based on IPv6 evolution, noting that before now, IPv4 had since 2011 ran out based on information available by the issuing agency for Internet Protocols (IP), that is the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA).

She noted that the need to migrate to IPv6 cannot be over emphasized because with the growing numbers of smart devices, Internet users, mostly in Nigeria would need to maximize the increase clamour for deployment of broadband in the country.

“The need to deploy IPv6 is imminent and we cannot but follow now as the world will not be waiting for us besides, Nigerians should be positioned to be able to compete globally,” she asserted. Adding that Nigeria IPv6 Roundtable offers a platform where all stakeholders in the country share IPv6 knowledge and experience, chart a roadmap for early transition to IPv6 in order to avoid accelerated expenses and last minute improvisations in the future, whilst promoting IPv6 enabled products and services in the country.

In her welcome remark, the chairperson represented by Mrs. Blessing Korie, commended the organizers and urged Nigerians to make personal effort at being part of the evolution, especially on IPv6 migration and join on the campaign to get Nigeria move forward technologically.

John Otunte Otueneh of ISOC Nigeria chapter, while commending DSA Media said Nigeria need to be proactive on global issues bearing in mind some administration setback that may come locally, adding that when IPv4 was running out the global authorities including ISOC sprang into actions, working and asking questions on the survival of the system once the IPv4 is exhausted, hence the IPv6.

L-r: COO NIRA Ope Odusan, Publicity Secretary, Nigeria Internet Group (NIG)

Bayero Agabi, Executive Director, Operations, DigitalSENSE Africa,

Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke presenting a plague to chairperson of Nigeria

 IPv6 Roundtable 2013, Mrs. Ibukun Odusote represented by

Mrs Blessings Korie. With them is Head, IT Systems at Phase3 Telecom,

 Ben Othello and chapter officer, Internet Society (SOC) Nigeria chapter, 

Mr.  John Otueneh.

“We’re not proactive in this part of the world,” he declared, stressing the need sustain the awareness campaigns, train and retrain users of IPv6, especially the technical staff and even export techies rather than importing experts.

For Mr. Benedict Obaro Othello of Phase3 telecom said there is a huge drive to go into the IPv6 which is a huge success, citing Microsoft which integrated IPv6 into its operating systems.

The challenges, he said includes the skill set, which is necessary to operate the system, insisting that phones being imported into the country should be IPv6 enabled.

Bayero Agabi of NIG, pointed out the need to build safe cyber space based on trust, adding that content challenge and the payment system, require trust for a successful broadband access, coupled with protecting innovation in the cyber space as well as if something goes wrong how do one get justice?

Drawing the comparison, the COO, NiRA, Mr. Ope Odusan said that IPv4 is a unique 32-bit number that identifies the location of a computer network and could be likened to ‘street address,’ but on the cyber space, which enables other computers to find out exactly where you are and deliver information to the end-user’s computer systems.

He also said that IPv6 is the sixth revision to the Internet Protocol and the successor to IPv4 with a unique features; using 128-bit addresses.

Correspondent/DigitalSENSE Business News 
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