Date:		Wednesday 15 November 2006
Time:		13.30-15.30 hrs
Venue:		ACIF Offices, Level 9, 32 Walker Street, North Sydney 

Presentation and Discussion on VOIP and IPv6

Presentation: Paul Brooks, Managing Director Layer10 Consulting.  Paul reviewed
his background in telecommunications, including his current position as Chair
of the VoIP Interconnect Group.

IP Telephony (including VoIP) is just an application over both private and/or
public networks.   The IP protocol provides the standard format for addressing,
describing and sending packets of data on the internet.

Currently, the IP protocol being used in IPv4, but we are running out of IP
addresses, which is why the move from IPv4 t0 IPv6.   The Internet Engineering
Task Force (IETF) designed IPv6 to provide more addresses - in the multiple
billions of addresses.  

When the IP world switched to IPv4, all computers were switched off on 1
January 1983, and then turned on again, using IPv4.  That is not possible now.
In fact, most computers now can adequately use IPv6, but most of the
peripherals on IPv4 and there is not much IPv6 application software available.

Both IPv4 and IPv6 can co-exist - with three ways of achieving coexistence:
  * Dual mode terminals
  * tunnelling
  * IPv6 to IPv4 translation

This  evolution of one to the other will mean IPv4 is around for some time.

The main benefits of IPv6 for end users include:

  * Easier new network set up and introduction of new devices into a
    network-devices 'auto-discover' environment

  * Built-in support for encryption

  * Vastly expanded address space -  which restores the original internet paradigm
    of end to end transparency between smart devices and a dumb network

  * Mobility - under IPv4 (and IPv6 use a 'network host' structure, with the
    routing based on the 'network' part.  When a host moves from one IP network to
    another, the network part of the address changes - mixing up the concepts of
    'who am I' and 'where am I'.  The aim is to be able to roam from a cabled
    network to a wireless bus, to a work environment - while maintaining a single
    continuous connection.  What IPv6 does is to introduce the concept of a 'home
    network' that allows seamless roaming.

  * Elimination of the need for network address translation (used to conserve IP
    addresses) because there will be no address shortage

In summary - it is an evolution, not a revolution and IPv6 is not capable of
solving all the problems people experience in the internet (e.g., spam, network
reliability, inappropriate use of chatrooms). 

Issues Identified with IPv6

  * The new device 'plug and play' benefit still does not simplify securing the
    underlying 'link layer' - eg WiFi encryption - arguably where it is most needed

  * Mandatory encryption does not guarantee the function will actually be used - it
    still needs user and program support

  * Security when roaming - the potential for 'man in the middle' attacks, and the
    duration of 'switchover' while roaming may be a problem

  * With all devices with 'public addresses' there is still need to look at
    firewall security

Other VoIP related issues:

  * DCITA review of auDA
  * Look at IDC research and find linkage between research and industry
  * self-regulation ESOs 

Discussion participants
Nan Bosler, Australian Seniors Computer Clubs Association
Nick Moustakas, Comunications Law Centre
Teresa Corbin, Consumers' Telecommunications Network
Myra Pincott, Country Women's Association of Australia
Marion Lau, Federation of Ethnic Communities Council
Cheryl Langdon-Orr, Internet Society of Australia
Gordon Frend, Small Enterprise Telecommunications Centre
Maureen LeBlanc, for Ian Butterworth, Telecommunications Consumer Group SA
Christopher Newell, ACIF Disability Council Chair 

Participants were thanked for their attendance and input into the consumer
consultation process.