The internet will have no more IP addresses left in a year’s time and thus the World Wide Web should shift to a new protocol, according to experts. Countries around the world are getting ready to shit from the current IPv4 to IPv6.

India is also in the process of devising mechanism to shift to the IPv6 protocol by March 2012 which will offer enhanced options for the users. The country is fast running out of the existing protocol with new mobile phone subscribers and the rollout of 3G and broadband wireless access.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has prepared a roadmap for the change and it will be followed by telecom and Internet providers, central and state government departments, industry associations, education institutes and equipment manufacturers, according to the ministry.

The country will shift to the new protocol by March 2012 helped by the roadmap and IPv6 task force. The IPv6 will provide much greater address space and unlimited possibilities to integrate greater number of devices into the web. The new protocol is currently being implemented by US, Europe, and Japan.

According to a report there are only 232 million IP addresses left and the reason for them to run out so quickly is the widespread new devices like Smartphone and other handheld devices.