[arin-ppml] Set aside round deux

[Benson Schliesser]

On 30 Jul 10, at 4:28 PM, Roger Marquis wrote:

> Michael's perspective appears to be predicated on a thesis that
> Internet-routed IP addresses are private assets.  The legal precedent,
> OTOH, is more likely to see these addresses as public commons, similar to
> the radio frequency spectrum.

I think the comparison of IP to radio spectrum is a weak one.  A closer comparison might be found in phone numbers, but even that has significant structural differences.  The public interest in IP addresses is unique with its own nuances.

That said, we can learn from all of these comparisons.  Spectrum: the FCC uses a market approach (monetary value/cost) to make sure that spectrum is allocated efficiently.  Phone Numbers: number portability was imposed by the government, when large operators failed to cooperatively fix the barrier to entry that their control over numbers represented.

For IP we should strive to create a fair field of play, but that doesn't oblige us to artificially de-value address resources.  Accepting a thesis that IP addresses are "private assets" might actually benefit the community more than the alternative.

Cheers,
-Benson