While all Internet players are invited to accelerate their migration to IPv6, there are still gray areas depending on the operators and the networks, mobile or fixed.
Like every year, ARCEP, the telecoms watchdog, has updated its IPv6 barometer, which makes it possible to study the progress made by all players in the Internet chain in migrating to the protocol. The only lasting solution to deal with the exhaustion of IPv4 and thus maintain a quality internet service, the transition to IPv6 is going well. In the space of a few months, France has in fact gone from the 8e at the 2e place in the world with regard to the rate of use of IPv6, confirming its progress in recent years in this area. However, all is not yet perfect.
Progress for IPv6, but disparities depending on the operators (and the network used)
Among operators, the overall increase in the rate of use of IPv6 is very clear “, notes the ARCEP. The transition is now guaranteed between 72 and 81% for fixed Internet access providers, and between 60 and 67% for mobile operators, with an average that exceeds 62%, up 15 points over one year .
What is IPv6?
The IPv4 protocol, used to allow terminals with an IP address to communicate on the Internet, has been used since 1983. But IPv4 addresses are now almost exhausted, and IPv6 offers almost an infinite number of addresses. Imagine: 667 million IPv6 for every square millimeter of earth’s surface.
While forecasts expect 94% of consumer customers to be enabled by default on IPv6 on fixed networks and 88% on mobile networks by mid-2025, the increase we were talking about hides major disparities between fixed and mobile networks, and between players “. Ah!
It is true that if we focus on the general public fixed network, Free has almost completed its transition, with a rate of customers activated in IPv6 at 99%, and this, for several years! If Orange (89%) follows closely, it is much more difficult for Bouygues Telecom (53%) and worse for SFR (22%).
The situation is really alarming on the side of hosts and mail servers
On the mobile network, the rate of customers activated in IPv6 is also comparable to a roller coaster, with Bouygues Telecom (89%) and Orange (71%) as good students. SFR is doing a little better (49%) than on the fixed line, while Free falls to… only 1%. ARCEP has also invited Xavier Niel’s operator to activate IPv6 by default as soon as possible.
As far as hosts are concerned, they are having a hard time getting up to speed, with a still marked delay. Some offer IPv6 in their offers, of course, but the rate of websites accessible by the protocol remains low, with only 25% of the 2.3 million websites of domain names (.fr, .tf, .wf, . pm, .yt, .re) with valid HTTPS hosting.
The rate of mail servers remains particularly low, with 8.3% of mail servers accessible in IPv6.
Source : ARCEP
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