The shortage of IPv4 addresses is "self-inflicted". If the internet didn't follow this stupid libertarian approach of selling and buying addresses, we could have addresses for everybody.
IPv4 Addresses < 4.3 billion.
It was just a matter of time before IPv4 was insufficient, no matter how you allocate it.
Edit: wow I have no idea how that got so garbled.
And that's ignoring population growth, multiple devices per person, infrastructure addresses and overhead.
Edit: Changed likely to hopefully... as let's be honest, we'll probably still be using IPv4 in a few decades.
I'm not arguing there is (or isn't) a shortage, I'm pushing back on a point premised on the existence of a shortage. Go reply to that other guy.
Your point seems to be that a shortage is not possible because carrier grade NAT. I'd argue that the deployment of carrier grade NAT is proof that one is actively in existence.