Today, the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority reported that it has allocated some of the remaining blocks of IPv4 addresses and warned the internet service providers that adoption of IPv6 has entered a critical stage where a switch has to be made to prevent IPv4 exhaustion.
IANA reported that four more blocks of IPv4 were assigned yesterday to the Europe, Middle East and parts of Central Asia. Two more blocks were allocated to ARIN which is the regional internet registry for the US, Canada and the Caribbean. IANA warns that there are only seven blocks remaining to be allocated with 19 blocks already used up this year.
IANA warned that the remaining 7 blocks could be used up before the end of the year. Once the amount of blocks hits five, the blocks are equally distributed by the IANA to each of the five regional registrars around the world.
However if the blocks were to be assigned, it does not mean IPv4 addresses would disappear immediately. It all depends on how soon your ISP picked up the addresses which were allocated to the registrars.
IANA estimates that it will run out of IPv4 addresses by the second half of next year. IANA says failure to adopt IPv6 will affect smaller businesses because of their lack of expertise in converting from IPv4 to IPv6.
Think about it, the new flashy 3G or 4G device might just not have an IP! How would you even use the internet then?