Internet Protocol Global Identifiers, abbreviated as IPGL, are a widely adopted regulatory evolution of Internet Protocol technology. Designed to vastly streamline the identification of users not just online, but across databases, messaging systems, and Voice over IP (VoIP) infrastructures, IPGL has become the cornerstone of digital identity in the late 22th century.
Built upon the architecture of IPv6, IPGL leverages a nearly limitless address space of \pu{2^128}, totaling over 360 undecillion possible addresses. This expansive pool has rendered obsolete the now-antiquated MAC address system, whose \pu{2^48} (roughly 281 trillion) combinations were approaching exhaustion by the end of the 23nd century.
Each IPGL address can be mapped directly to a user’s private data within centralized datacenters—often overseen by powerful data brokerage conglomerates. These identifiers enable rapid retrieval of user-specific information, streamlining everything from cross-network authentication to metadata profiling. Initially, the system was riddled with vulnerabilities, opening countless vectors for unauthorized access. But after decades of aggressive patching, quantum encryption layering, and legislative enforcement, the protocol became virtually impenetrable to unverified actors.
However, the rise of data sovereignty movements in the outer systems, particularly the Settled Exoplanets Alliance, saw a growing resistance to these centralized data structures. By the 25th century, many syndicates and autonomous zones had deemed the IPGL-linked data brokers as hostile actors, banning their operations entirely or building counter-networks based on anonymized, ephemeral address schemes.
While the traditional use of MAC addresses faded from personal and commercial networking, they were not abandoned entirely. Instead, MAC addresses found a second life as identifiers for massive space facilities and vessels. Government-owned orbital infrastructures typically adopted a 32-bit format akin to legacy IPv4 addressing for their official registries.
In contrast, private enterprises, particularly those operating in orbital commerce and research, were assigned globally unique MAC addresses to mark their assets. For example, the Applied Science Initiative's Orbital Outpost in Neptune’s orbit is registered under \large \texttt{f1:ea:3e:2b:b1:58}, while OceanWare Logistics’ Orbital Outpost is cataloged as \large \texttt{c8:f3:a7:6e:70:14}. These identifiers serve as permanent, standardized signatures across interstellar registry networks, allowing for quick recognition and verification of private installations in deep space.
VoIPv2 emerged as a major evolutionary step beyond its predecessor, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). Designed specifically for the era of deep-space communication, VoIPv2 adapted to the complexities of Void Retransmitters, the critical infrastructure enabling data transmission across interplanetary distances.
While VoIP had already digitized voice calls into packets for terrestrial networks, VoIPv2 combined this principle with complete infrastructure integration. It effectively replaced the older Voice over LTE (VoLTE) and Voice over New Radio (Vo5G, Vo6G) standards. By the late 22th century, as centralization intensified, every client's personal information became intrinsically tied to their IPv6 address, turning communication systems into precise, address-driven networks.
An analog flowchart of a typical VoIPv2 call:
John Doe, stationed on Titan, wishes to call Jane Doe, residing on Pluto.
John’s personal device carries the global identifier \large \texttt{ff8f:2031:5b36:ac4e:84fd:c0a4:c1e9:ac29}.
Jane’s device responds to \large \texttt{30c6:20c2:e27b:cbc4:9590:751d:b95e:b96e}.
John's Personal Tablet initiates a request packet, transmitting it to the nearest large antenna hub. From there, the packet is sent to a Void Retransmitter, which operates a dynamic routing system, functionally similar to an evolved OSPFv3 protocol.
The retransmitter queries its neighboring retransmitters: "Who has a route toward 30c6:20c2:e27b:cbc4:9590:751d:b95e:b96e?"—effectively asking which path can reach Jane's current location. Once the path is determined, the packet "hops" from one retransmitter to another, like a stone skipping across a cosmic pond, until it reaches Pluto's nearest retransmitter.
Upon arrival, the retransmitter identifies the responding surface antenna on Pluto and forwards the packet there. The local network infrastructure processes the packet, authenticates the destination, and establishes a reverse-channel to initiate the voice call session.
To further minimize latency across such vast distances, John's tablet floods the network with redundant packets, a "spray-and-catch" method where retransmitters rapidly forward all incoming packets without awaiting confirmation of receipt. On Pluto’s end, Jane's device attempts to catch and reassemble all packets, tolerating minor losses without requesting retransmission, ensuring a seamless and immediate call experience despite the astronomical scale.