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

Wed Oct 28 12:15:10 EDT 2026

Hi

Out of business of passing around smaller blocks ? Something ARIN or 
each RIR has always done while they existed.
There is nothing to be done around wailing list other than restrict to 
newcomers. Then those who already have something stop expecting to get 
something extra and live with what they have or transfer more blocks 
from the market. Perhaps lowering expectations to receive something will 
lower what looks to be an anger for not getting it. The issue in my view 
more expectations than practical reality.

The fact IPV4 has value in the market should not be of the business of a 
RIR. These resources don't belong to one that has the right to sell for 
whatever they like. They are there to serve internet development in the 
region and as such neutral and fair policies govern the way they are 
assigned on a first come, first serve basis. Isn't reasonable that those 
who existed so far learn how to live with their existing assignments and 
leave this tiny rest for newcomers to have a chance to exist in the 
internet ?

By the way, 4.10 and waiting list, even for newcomers still are for 
different proposes. At some point 4.10 should be returned, waiting list 
resources not.

Regards
Fernando

On 10/28/2026 12:26 PM, Eric C. Landgraf wrote:
> The somewhat obscured reason for discussions about getting rid of the
> waiting list: a substantial portion of what we hear each meeting in the
> policy experience report are the problems ARIN faces with administering
> current IPv4 policy. 4.10 is subject to abuse, 4.4 is underutilized, and
> the incentives around 4.1.8 waitlist space are somewhat misdirected.
> So how do we get ARIN out of the business of passing around smaller and
> smaller blocks of IPv4, when IPv6 has been the current version of the
> internet protocol for years?
>
> If IPv4 is a cost center for us as an RIR, but also has relatively high
> value on the open market, why *shouldn't* we dispose of it in a way that
> increases that value while providing revenue? 4.10 space is there for
> small operators that actually need IPv4 space for operations, provided
> they are also working to deploy IPv6: if you aren't transitioning to
> IPv6 as a small operator, you ought to feel the cost of that decision.
> Getting rid of "free" addresses from the waitlist is the easiest knob we
> can turn *in policy* to force people to do that math.
>
> If we were to dispose of 4.4 and/or 4.10 space, I would agree with you
> that the waitlist should only be for newcomers. But as things stand,
> those newcomers have many ways to get IPv4, so long as they jump thru
> some hoops.
>
> 	Regards,
> 	Eric C. Landgraf
> 	Virginia Tech
>
> On Oct 27 11:14, Fernando Frediani wrote:
>> Hi
>>
>> ARIN auctioning off IPv4 is something unthinkable for a RIR. I don't even
>> understand how people come up with these ideas. RIRs are not brokers and are
>> never meant to be anything like that.
>>
>> I believe the whole issue around waiting list is that people ... have to
>> wait. And they don't want to. Some believe that if putting money on the
>> table they can get a fastpass in front of others and get what they need.
>> But Numbering Resources managed by a RIR are a shared resource and was never
>> meant to be treated as a private asset, but to serve the internet community
>> from that region and as such should be assigned to those who need and have
>> justification to receive them, regardless of their economical power.
>>
>> Waitling list is a natural and the fairest thing to do with recovered
>> addresses, even though it can be a long wait, at least they go to those who
>> have the most right both because they can justify the need under the current
>> policy and also because they have been patiently waiting in the list. What
>> else one would expect to be ?
>> I find hard to believe that people expect the waiting list resources to be
>> the salvation to their internet business (those who have some resources
>> already).
>>
>> I am personally of the opinion that waiting list should assign space only to
>> newcomers, therefore those who have nothing to begin with as in other RIRs
>> like LACNIC. Those who have something have means for revenue to acquire a
>> block later when necessary.
>> But until that change just leave the waiting list as it is to keep the most
>> fair way to allocate that IP space.
>>
>> Regards
>> Fernando
>>
>> On 10/27/2026 10:09 AM, Jones, Brian wrote:
>>> 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.
>>>
>>> _________________________________________________________________________________
>>> 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.
>>> _________________________________________________________________________________
>>>
>>> _
>>> Brian Jones
>>> ARIN Advisory Council
>>> NRPM WG Chair
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