Although the Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) was launched more than ten years ago to replace IPv4, we had to wait until 2023 for an operator in Spain to finally deploy it officially. It was Movistar, which started with the mobile network and is already testing the fixed network.
And as expected, the next to do so was O2, which uses the Movistar network for a reason. ADSLZone anticipated it and we have been able to confirm it from Xataka Móvil: the second brand of Telefónica Spain The deployment of IPv6 is already available for mobile and is activating it progressively.
First on Android, soon on iOS
A few months ago, Movistar began to deploy the Dual Stack functionality to be able to provide IPv6 addresses to those users of mobile lines that have configured the APN “telefonica.es” in a device compatible with IPv6/IPv4.
Image | Movistar
At the end of January, the operator officially confirmed that it had started to deploy IPv6 on its mobile network and, as O2 uses Movistar’s mobile network, your customers can already use IPv6 too to achieve greater speed of access to native content in IPv6 (Google, Microsoft, Meta, Amazon…), as well as improvements in security and mobility.
As is the case with Movistar, O2 customers do not have to contract or request it: all Android terminals already support it and O2 will activate it progressively automatically.
Throughout this year, it will also be available for iOS, all that remains is for Apple to release the iOS update that enables the APN Dual Stack for Telefónica.
To check if you already have it activated on an Android terminalJust follow these steps (they may vary slightly depending on the customization layer that your mobile has):
- Enter the ‘Settings’ of your mobile.
- Click on the section ‘Network and Internet’ and, within ‘Mobile Network’tap ‘Access Point Name’.
- Check that it appears APN Movistar ‘telefónica.es’. If not, tap on APN and add it.
Once activated, you can check if you already have IPv6 by connecting to a test like https://ipv6-test.com/ or https://ipv6test.google.com/.
More information | o2