IPv6 Forum Pacific Islands

Well we launched the Pacific Islands Chapter of the IPv6 Forum this week.

The IPv6 Forum promotes the adoption and deployment of IPv6 and its ensuing benefits on a global scale. For a while now, folks in the Pacific Islands have talked about IPv6, but no one has really taken any steps towards doing much. Asking if someone intends to deploy IPv6 is perhaps not enough.

In my opinion what was required was a body to primarily disseminate useful and timely information and actively encourage IPv6 adoption, where the target is all sectors, not just the technical community. Whilst the technical community will deploy, its the Users (in all shapes and forms) who have driven the rapid expansion of the Internet, and hopefully the same will hold true for IPv6. So the idea is we have wide and open multi-stakeholder participation in the Forum - no closed door or by invitation only meetings here!

I do expect some mumbling in some quarters about the IPv6 Forum Pacific Islands, where some will say why PICISOC members are driving this, and to them I say "the last time I checked, the 'I' in 'IP' stood for 'Internet', and the IPv6 Forum has been around for 7 years so you have had more than enough time to pick up the ball and run with it. Now its up and and we are running, so come and join us and let's work towards making it happen".

We are also working on on the first Pacific Islands IPv6 Summit (including training sessions), and are also in the process of setting up an international advisory panel. We will shortly write to stakeholders in the region to participate in the Forum's activities as well. Let's see how interested other stakeholders are in working together and making it all happen.