[arin-ppml] Revised: Draft Policy ARIN-2017-8: Amend the Definition of Community Network

[David Farmer]

On Tue, Oct 3, 2017 at 2:52 PM, Richard J Letts <rjletts at uw.edu> wrote:

>
>
> My point of view
>
> a)       I am not sure why educational institutions are not able to pay
> the fees for other categories of usage, or why they need an exception.
>
> ARIN staff would need to decide if the application satisfies this: “a
> volunteer group, not-for-profit, non-profit, or charitable organization”
>
>  I’ve been involved with enough community groups to know that two of
> these have weak governance structures that fail when there are conflicts (a
> volunteer group and being a non-core aspect of a charitable organization),
> inevitably leading to the collapse of the organization. I’m not going to
> prejudge that debate here, but consider striking them. If the community
> organization doesn’t have 501(c)3 status in the US they are leaving out the
> opportunity to save money and get grants.
>
> Without a legal entity ‘owning’ the space how would ARIN know they were
> dealing with, who is legally allowed to dispose of the space, etc.
>
Does it matter if they are non-profit?  I believe that was originally
included with the hopes that the board to offer a discount.  The board has
hasn't provided a discount, I doubt they ever will.  The board did provided
the 3X-small fee category, which by policy is not available to ISPs. What
if community networks are allowed to be a 3X-small ISPs, the basic idea
behind ARIN-2016-7. Having community networks be 3X-Small ISPs seems to be
more aligned with what they are doing, it allows them to SWIP, where if
they are an end-user they can not.

So, again, does it matter if they are non-profit?  How a bout we focus on
what they are and what do, rather than how they are incorporated or
registered.

ISOC says;

"Community networks, communications infrastructure deployed and operated by
citizens to meet their own communication needs, are being increasingly
proposed as a solution to connect the unconnected."

https://www.internetsociety.org/issues/community-networks/

Citizen isn't the right word for here, but how about users?  So how about
something like this.

"A community network is a network deployed, operated and governed by it's
users, with a purpose of providing free or low-cost connectivity within to
its user's and the community in which they reside?"

By going to 3X-small ISP, if a community network is or gets big they pay
the same as any other ISP of their size, if they are truly small they have
access to the 3X-small ISP fee category.  And, ARIN staff doesn't have to
poke its nose into the financial status of an organization, for-profit or
non-profit.

> b)      Who cares if they provide ‘other Information Technology services’
> to their community; we’re talking about internet access here
>
 If in addition to "connectivity" they also provide email or web hosting is
that OK?

Thanks.

-- 
===============================================
David Farmer               Email:farmer at umn.edu
Networking & Telecommunication Services
Office of Information Technology
University of Minnesota
2218 University Ave SE        Phone: 612-626-0815
Minneapolis, MN 55414-3029   Cell: 612-812-9952
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