Ministry urges internet upgrade The Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) has urged internet content providers in Viet Nam to implement the use of Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) in order to adapt to global internet development.   MIC issued a three-phase national action plan for IPv6 in 2011. - Photo papayasdnn.com Speaking at a seminar on the IPv6 development plan, Information and Communications Deputy Minister Le Nam Thang said leading internet content providers like Vietnamnet, Vnexpress and Zing should be the first to implement IPv6. Thang said like in other countries, the application of IPv6 in Viet Nam would take time and needed concerted efforts from the Government, providers and users. "However, despite the completion of change-over procedures, the implementation of IPv6 in Viet Nam is still low compared to other countries in the region," Thang added. He told the National IPv6 Implementation Committee to increase co-operation between ministries and organisations, and ask the Ministry of Education and Training to install IPv6 technology in colleges and university. Similar efforts should be made by other ministries too, Thang said. According to the Viet Nam Internet Network Information Centre (VNNIC), Viet Nam was now 79th among the 258 countries that use IPv6. IPv6, which includes an improved option mechanism over IPv4, enlarges the number of IP addresses and allows electronic devices to automatically configure internet connections. In reality, IPv4 addresses ran out in April 2011, so countries should concentrate on developing IPv6 while phasing out IPv4. Statistics from web data firm Alexa showed that more than seven per cent of the top 50 websites in the world use IPv6. MIC issued a three-phase national action plan for IPv6 in 2011. It outlined preparations from 2011-12, its introduction from 2013-15 and the transition from 2016-19. In May 2012, a national IPv6 network was set up by VNNIC. However, the Viet Nam Post and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) has yet to implement the plan to provide IPv6 for access services. It has only trialed IPv6 on MIC websites. In October 2013, VNPT began deploying IPv6, but on a small scale, just to assess the equipment's efficiency and features. Other big enterprises including FPT Telecom and Viettel have moved ahead with the plan to implement IPv6. Viettel has connected with the national IPv6 network and maintains connections with nine international partners, including HKIX, AKAMAI, HE, Google, Microsoft and Yahoo. Viettel has provided IPv6 connection services on a trial basis to 1,000 subscribers of ADSL, which runs now on both IPv4 and IPv6. It has also provided IPv6 connections to 1,000 USB 3G subscribers in Ha Noi. In 2013, Viettel successfully upgraded the equipment allowing the spread of network access for wired broadband services and 3G services in order to support IPv6. VNS