PIT Bolivia Deploys IPv6 with the Support of LACNIC
04/08/2022

PIT Bolivia has achieved interesting IPv6 deployment figures thanks to the tireless efforts of local operators and professionals and the collaboration of LACNIC.
LACNIC has encouraged the use of IPv6 together with key players in the Bolivian Internet ecosystem, first through meetings at the Latin American and Caribbean Internet Governance Forum, and then through IPv6 workshops offered by LACNIC’s R&D department.
These efforts have permeated the Bolivian technical community, making it possible for almost 20% of Internet users in the country to be using IPv6.
Marcos Peredo of COMTECO Bolivia observed that IPv6 should be included at the curricular level in Engineering and Information Technology training programs. “We should change networking syllabuses so that they will focus on IPv6, with IPv4 as an addition,” Peredo added.
Progress. COMTECO, ENTEL, UMSA, and Edmund are the Bolivian organizations leading IPv6 deployment, with 56.07%, 43.09%, 49.28% and 4.17% IPv6 capability, respectively, according to APNIC statistics.
According to these data, IPv6 deployment in Bolivia has grown to 19.6% from 13% three years ago. “In other words, there has been a slight increase that shows that there is still much work to do,” Peredo said.
According to LACNIC data, there are 56 autonomous systems in Bolivia, 12 of which are directly connected to PIT.bo, 29 are connected remotely through their Internet access providers, and 13 are not connected.
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Support and training. Last June, the ISOC Bolivia Chapter, LACNIC, and PIT Bolivia worked together to offer training to allow IPv6 traffic through PIT Bolivia.
“LACNIC is accompanying us along this journey. If LACNIC wasn’t here, we wouldn’t have the help we need. We are working together,” said Carlos Sanabria of PIT Bolivia.
The IPv6 course was designed considering technical staff and decision makers separately.