We have enough IPv6 for the whole county, but we got an early present from ARIN (more IPv4)
On October 1st, ARIN (the North American Number Registry) completed their quarterly IPv4 waiting list review. Prior to October, our position on the list was 575th out of 875 applicants for IPv4 addresses.
We provide a "true dual-stack" connection to your home, which includes a dedicated IPv4 address (note that this is a dynamic address, rotated for operational purposes), an IPv6 address for your router, and a set of 256 IPv6 networks for your use. Despite the extensive IPv6 deployment, IPv4 remains relevant because many internet services still depend on it. A notable example is VoIP (Voice over IP), which is gradually replacing traditional copper telephone lines, particularly in rural counties like Kitsap.
Our organization has been on the waitlist since December 30, 2024. We anticipated receiving a block mid-2027. However, to our surprise, the waitlist ticket was marked as closed on Friday morning. Initially, we thought this meant we had been removed due to the issuance of a small IPv4 block for our IPv6 transition work. Instead, we were allocated a /22 block, providing 1,024 IPv4 addresses. I had to double-check to ensure I was seeing this correctly. Upon reviewing the waitlist, I noticed others ahead of us with smaller or similar-sized blocks were still on the waitlist. Our positive outcome may be attributed to our compliance with ARIN policies, the implementation of best practices in routing security, and our active participation in the IPv6 transition.
Looking ahead, any future IPv4 address acquisitions will require purchase; we have exhausted the free allocations from ARIN. When we started out we had to buy multiple small IPv4 blocks (/24) as the waitlist was too long. Our plan is to acquire a /21 block, which is 2,048 addresses. Currently, these blocks are available on the market for approximately $50,176. This investment is comparable to leasing costs over an eight-year period, which many other ISPs on the KPUD network choose to do to avoid large upfront expenses.
IPv4 will remain relevant through at least 2040, with some estimates suggesting it may persist until around 2050. Long-term planning for IPv4 address management remains essential.
While it may seem like the Internet is free, the ISPs operating on the KPUD network face significant expenses to maintain and improve service quality. Our profit margins are quite narrow as our focus is supporting a reliable, high-quality connection.