ICANN calls for making IPv4

New Delhi, Feb 11 (UNI) ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) today called to make IPv4 and IPv6 interoperable, since the pool of IPv4 addresses may get exhausted in the next 3-4 years.

''IPv6 will not only expand the address space but also enable internet connectivity between a large number of devices,'' Information Technology Secretary Jainder Singh said while addressing the ICANN 31st International Public Meeting here.

He said India will continue to work closely with ICANN on this issue.

The Secretary said there was a need for ensuring participation of all linguistic groups inside the space.

''The Internet is a key factor in developing a more inclusive information society which stresses diversity,'' he said.

Chairman of the Board of ICANN Peter Dengate Thrush said that the introduction of Internationalised Domain Names IDNs), is an obvious path for further expansion of internet in the country.

He said such a system would allow delivery of internet naming system that allows virtually any language to be recognised in a script that people can read.

ICANN is in the process of deliberating whether scripts other than ASCII can be used for IDNs at the top levels.

Other topics to be debated in the ICANN Board meeting and the Public meeting are new gTLDS so that business opportunities on the net expands.

ICANN CEO Paul Twomey welcomed the business outsourcing IT service industries in India that have been booming.

He said one of the main reasons behind this boom was single global internet that can seamlessly serve the customers both in India and off-shore.

He said as opposed to physical trade where there are tariff and non tariff barriers, delivery of services in the online environment is globally seamless.

Mr Twomey also mentioned about the Joint Project Agreement with US Department of Commerce which was coming up for review this year and will try to take ICANN into the transition phase where it will be responsible for more of its own activities.

The New Delhi meeting is the first of the three public ICANN meetings in 2008.

UNI MP PBB RAI2042