[arin-ppml] Are we an ISP or an End-User? Can our designation change at a later time?

[Glen A. Pearce]

On 04/01/2023 1:52 p.m., Fernando Frediani wrote:
>
> Interesting this topic. Generally speaking I always found a bit 
> strange (not only in ARIN) to have this distinction between ISP and 
> End-user. In practice things should not differ much. Only thing that 
> would possible remain slightly different are the details of 
> justifications that must be provided and the size of the block to be 
> allocated.
>
> Another thing that I wanted to understand better is the reasoning to 
> allocate a significant smaller IPv6 block to a said end-user 
> organization given it is not so scarce resource. At least a /40 should 
> be minimal default for a end-user (not a /48) and a /32 for any size 
> of ISP. For now my personal impression is to create some artificial 
> scarcity in order to have different levels of Service Category.
>

I think it's just a policy residual that is a byproduct of the old 
separate fee schedules for end
users and ISPs.  Before ARIN moved everyone to the single fee schedule 
with the Registration
Service Plans, end users (who paid by the assigned resource instead of 
the RSP) had the option
to chose to be converted to the RSP (on a non-revocable basis so there 
was no option to switch
back later) and any who did would be "treated as an ISP".  I took this 
option about a year before
the fee schedules were changed and shortly after requested my IPv6 space 
which I was at that
point already eligible for on the basis that anyone who had a /24 or 
more of IPv4 space was
automatically eligible for IPv6 space.

Though I waited until ARIN-2020-3 was implemented so I could get a /40 
which is still in the
3X-small category.  (Moving up from $150/yr to $250/yr was in my budget 
$500/yr for the
2X-small was not.)  It used to be that "ISPs" (which at that time meant 
any organization on
the RSP) could not request anything smaller than a /36 but end users 
could request a /48
minimum.  (But could of course request more with sufficient 
justification.)  Now that "ISPs"
can request as small as a /40 it made IPv6 much more of an option for 
micro-sized ISPs or
"ISPs".

So it's not even a different service level category as anything between 
a /48 and a /40 is still
a 3X-small.

Since end users could previously ask to be "treated as an ISP" I would 
be surprised if ARIN
would not allow that now.

We probably should do away with the distinction between end users and 
ISPs in policy since
we've done away with the distinction in fee schedules and even before 
then end users could
exercise a one time option to be "treated as an ISP".  Like the 
consolidation of fee schedules
did it would reduce confusion for new members by simplification.

-- 
Glen A. Pearce
gap at ve4.ca
Network Manager, Webmaster, Bookkeeper, Fashion Model and Shipping Clerk.
Very Eager 4 Tees
http://www.ve4.ca
ARIN Handle VET-17