Christopher IPv4 prices *can* be as high as $50 / IP, but that’s not a uniform price / value. We identified IPv4 exhaustion and growing cost as a risk to our growth several years ago. Over the past few years we’ve had to acquire blocks of IPs both locally and internationally. IPv4 space is finite, so it’s simply demand vs supply. IPv6 doesn’t “solve” anything as many legacy devices do not support it at all and there’s no simple way to replace millions of routers and other end user devices around the world. While in an ideal world IPv6 would be the de facto protocol used on networks it isn’t and is unlikely to be so anytime soon. While many ISPs and service providers offer IPv6 natively there are still quite a few that don’t and many other parts of the puzzle where the complexities of dealing with IPv6 mean that if you want stuff to “just work” IPv4 is a much safer bet. In an ideal world we’d all be using IPv6 and it’d be a total non-issue, but we’re not there yet. ICANN / IANA doesn’t have much say in the day to day allocation of IPs as they’re already assigned to the regional RIRs. The RIRs have, in turn, adopted polices about inter-RIR transfers of IP blocks. ICANN doesn’t have any role in the IP address aftermarket that I’m aware of. I assume your queries arise from the recent news stories about AFRINIC? Regards Michele -- Mr Michele Neylon Blacknight Solutions Hosting, Colocation & Domains https://www.blacknight.com/ https://blacknight.blog/ Intl. +353 (0) 59 9183072 Direct Dial: +353 (0)59 9183090 Personal blog: https://michele.blog/ Some thoughts: https://ceo.hosting/ ------------------------------- Blacknight Internet Solutions Ltd, Unit 12A,Barrowside Business Park,Sleaty Road,Graiguecullen,Carlow,R93 X265,Ireland Company No.: 370845 I have sent this email at a time that is convenient for me. I do not expect you to respond to it outside of your usual working hours. From: CPWG <cpwg-bounces@icann.org> on behalf of lists--- via CPWG <cpwg@icann.org> Date: Tuesday, 19 September 2023 at 21:53 To: Staff At Large <staff@atlarge.icann.org> Cc: EURALO Discuss <euro-discuss@atlarge-lists.icann.org>, LACRALO discussion list <lac-discuss-en@atlarge-lists.icann.org>, cpwg@icann.org <cpwg@icann.org> Subject: Re: [CPWG] **REMINDER** Meeting invitation: At-Large Consolidated Policy Working Group (CPWG) Call on Wednesday, 20 September 2023 at 19:00 UTC [EXTERNAL EMAIL] Please use caution when opening attachments from unrecognised sources. Good evening: This is a formal request to place on the agenda of tomorrow night's meeting the question of IANA/PIR relations with the five RIRs. (a) What is the authority of IANA/PIR over the allocation of IP address blocks by the RIRs? Reading between the lines of recent reports (I'll stand correted): (b) a single IPv4 address is today worth 50$ US. Who created this asset in the first place? (wasn't IPv6 supposed to resolve that problem?) (c) what guarantees are in place so that RIR IPv4 blocks assigned to local ISPs are effectively held available, exclusively, for use by present and future users and service providers IN THE AREA SSIGNED TO THE CORRESPONDING RIR. Otherwise, ICANN will have to deal with an extra-territorial 'gray market' in IPv4 addresses. A point that will not have escaped the notice of participants in the forthcoming IGF. I would be grateful - albeit at short notice - if an operational representative of IANA/PIR could be invited to join toorrow night's CPWG. Best regards to you all Christopher Wilkinson On 18 Sep 2023, at 17:56, ICANN At-Large Staff via CPWG <cpwg@icann.org> wrote: **If you require a dial out or need to state an apology, please contact At-Large staff at staff@atlarge.icann.org<mailto:staff@atlarge.icann.org> with your preferred number*** Dear All, The next At-Large Consolidated Policy Working Group (CPWG) Call is scheduled for Wednesday, 20 September 2023 at 19:00 UTC for 90 mins, For other times: https://tinyurl.com/bd7eu4rw The agenda (to be updated) and call details can be found at: https://community.icann.org/x/qwAFE Zoom Room: https://icann.zoom.us/j/765717566?pwd=UTJCdWRSZVdJNEhOYW02OVBqQVQ1Zz09 / Passcode: #CPWG2345* Real time transcription (RTT) available at (subject to availability): https://www.streamtext.net/player?event=ICANN ADIGO Conference Bridge: EN, ES & FR: 3535 (subject to availability) Toll-free access number (US and Canada): 800 550 6865 Other toll-free numbers: https://www.adigo.com/icann At-Large Consolidated Policy Working Group (CPWG) Wiki Space: https://community.icann.org/x/jYDpB If you require a dial-out please contact At-Large staff at: staff@atlarge.icann.org<mailto:staff@atlarge.icann.org> Thank you. 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