Sprint to Participate in World IPv6 Day

With IPv4 addresses near depletion, now is the time for companies to take action to create a smooth IPv6 transition process, ensure business continuity and minimize costs

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), April 11, 2011 – Sprint (NYSE:S, news, filings) will join leading technology companies to participate in the Internet Society’s World IPv6 Day on June 8, 2011. Sprint websites, including www.sprint.com, and business customer support sites, such as www.sprint.net, will be IPv6 compatible. As a leader in the IPv6 evolution since 1997, Sprint believes it is critical to participate in this first global-scale trial of IPv6 to increase awareness and accelerate IPv6 deployment.

Sprint also is focused on IPv6 deployment on its networks using a native dual-stack solution, which is a vital step to ensure a smooth transition to the new protocol for customers and partners whose critical content and applications rely on Sprint’s converged IP backbone.

“In addition to making sure our networks are ready to meet customer and partner needs, Sprint is helping them prioritize a starting point for IPv6 deployment, to enable the resulting productivity gains as well as ensure a positive customer experience,” said Iyad Tarazi, vice president of network development and engineering, Sprint. “Sprint has a long history of partnering with customers to deliver Converged Solutions over wireline and wireless networks using IPv4 and will do the same with IPv6.”

Sprint also encourages customers and partners to actively participate in World IPv6 Day to help accelerate the momentum around IPv6.

Last year, Sprint began deploying IPv6 on SprintLink Dedicated Internet Access service for large businesses and wholesale partners that use its domestic and international Internet backbone, including points of presence in the Europe and Asia-Pacific regions. By later this year, IPv6 will be supported on Sprint’s Global MPLS Layer 3 VPN network. Planning is underway to enable IPv6 on the wireless network in 2012. Sprint has offered IPv6 services on its Peerless IP network since 2007.

Sprint’s dual-stack approach to IPv6 enables both IPv4 and IPv6 addressing to be carried over the same port connection. In addition it requires no changes to customer and partners’ network design, easing deployment, troubleshooting, and management of the new IPv6 protocol.

For more information and to view a webinar about IPv6, visit www.sprintv6.net.

What is IPv6?

IP is the basis of all Internet communications, connecting billions of devices via unique addresses available through the current protocol, IPv4. However, the dramatic increase in the size of the Internet and in the number of wired and wireless connected devices is driving the need for many more IP addresses. IPv6 offers virtually an endless supply of addresses to support the explosive growth of connected devices and other benefits including: simplifying end-to-end connections with no need for address translation between devices; reducing the needs for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) with expanded auto configuration system; and, integrating a much higher level of security, eliminating the needs for add-ons for encryption.

“Those adopting IPv6 first will be high-growth industries that heavily consume Internet addresses, including businesses that partner internationally and the federal government, which has a mandate to deploy IPv6 in 2012,” added Tarazi. “The explosive growth in machine-to-machine (M2M), on which Sprint is keenly focused, can flourish with IPv6.”

About Sprint Nextel

Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 49.9 million customers at the end of 2010 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 6 in its 2010 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.