[arin-ppml] ARIN 58 Table Topic - If the Waitlist didn’t exist, what would?

[Jones, Brian]

At ARIN 58 the NRPM Working Group introduced this table topic and garnered a bit of discussion about the community’s thoughts concerning the Waitlist. Posting here for broader exposure and to solicit more community feedback. 

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Table Topic - If the Waitlist didn’t exist, what would?

Discussions about how ARIN would handle the return of IP address space became a central topic.

There was much discussion around auctioning off IPv4 addresses after that topic was brought up. It was pointed out that there are legal and ethical issues to consider for what ARIN would do with and resources from this. There was discussion about how the money would be used if such a decision was made to auction off IPv4 address space.

It was expressed that no new policy would have to replace the Waitlist, that by default ARIN would continue allocate IPv4 address space out of section 4.4 and 4.10 of the NRPM and that IPv4 resources would be replenished with any returned or reclaimed resources to the reserved pools as is indicated by the NRPM. 

There were also discussions about combining sections 4.4 and 4.10 of the NRPM and removing the Waitlist while also relaxing the requirement for acquiring these resources concerning transitioning to IPv6. Relaxing the requirement from you must have an IPv6 transition plan to acquire any resources from this space to something like “with preference given for those transitions to IPv6”. The hard requirement for transitioning to IPv6 was brought up as an impediment for those who may not have the money for purchasing newer network equipment to support IPv6 and at least in some Caribbean regions it may take the local government involvement before network operators can even consider moving toward IPv6. This was expressed at a previous table topic discussion at ARIN 56 I believe.

At least one participant asked if it was possible for ARIN to provide a report on where waitlist allocations go after they are fulfilled. Specifically, do they go to small ISPs, wind up in the market for leasing, or elsewhere?

It was also mentioned that if an entity has a viable business plan that requires IPv4 then they should have included the cost for purchasing or leasing those resources because the Waitlist has no guarantees for available IPv4 resources, so does there remain any reason to maintain a Waitlist becomes the question.
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Brian Jones
ARIN Advisory Council
NRPM WG Chair