MADRID -- Consulintel, a Spanish Networking and System's Integrator, today announced the launch of the first permanent IPv6 service in a hotel. This launch coincides with the opening of the Madrid Global IPv6 Summit by Mr. Salvador Soriano, General sub-director of Information Society Services, at the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology, who will switch on the IPv6 Internet access service.

The service is initially set up for the Global IPv6 Summit but will be extended as a permanent free offering in the rooms and halls of the Auditorium Hotel, which is the venue for the summit. The Summit's opening ceremony will take place on May 13, 2003 at 09:00 am. Leading IPv6 experts from around the world will be participating and will debate the status of IPv6, as well as looking at ways of promoting its use and demonstrating current applications.

Consulintel, who has organised the IPv6 Summit, has also designed and operates the IPv6 service in the Auditorium Hotel. The service will initially provide very high-speed access for delegates and demonstrations at the IPv6 Summit, but will be converted to a permanent IPv6 access service, probably the first in the world from a hotel. The service will enable the hotel's guests to experience the advantages of the IPv6 such as near infinite internet addresses, easier use of peer-to-peer applications, end-to-end security as well as mobility.

The Auditorium Hotel is the largest in Europe and opened just a few months ago. It is a state-of-the-art hotel and features all the latest high-technology facilities. Consulintel has selected Iberbanda as the supplier of the broadband connectivity for the event.

Iberbanda, is a national company offering high speed Internet access services, data transmission, voice and housing services to enterprises, will provide a 34 Mbits link to connect the Auditorium Hotel with RedIRIS, who will provide the access to IPv4 and IPv6 networks. BT will provide access to the emerging global IPv6 Internet from its IPv6 Internet exchange, the UK6x (http://www.uk6x.com).

Peter Hovell, IPv6 team leader at BTexact, BT's research, technology and IT operations business, said: "The UK6x is establishing itself as the leading IPv6 internet exchanges in Europe. It provides layer 2 interconnection as well as many value added functions such as IPv6 address allocation and service hosting. BT is committed to the deployment of IPv6 and feels that the provision of IPv6 at the Auditorium Hotel, and the use of the UK6x to provide access to the emerging global IPv6 Internet is another significant step forward in the roll out of IPv6." When the IPv6 Forums President, Latif Ladid heard about the idea he said: "This is the latest room service, IP(v6) in your room!"

Consulintel

Madrid 2003 Global IPv6 Summit