North American Network Operators Group
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Re: Market-based address allocation

  • From: Jack Bates
  • Date: Wed Apr 30 17:53:18 2003 
Bill Nickless wrote:

I'm confused--are IPv4 netblocks so valuable that we can't expect the market to set a reasonable price, or are IPv4 netblocks (sets of integers) so worthless that they're not worth the trouble of trading at all?

The issue is that it's just plain smart for large providers to buy all the space up if they can. Businesses are into making money. When they can, they will monopolize a market.

Most commodities cannot be saturated. You don't buy all the oranges in the world and then maintain ownership until the end of the world. The next year, everyone will produce more oranges. Even money is replenished, and how much is in circulation is governed by the corresponding government.

IPv4 address space, while adequate to currently meet our needs, is limited. The reason it is adequate is because we do require justification. Take away justification and put on a $ value, and the big money makers will buy it all, lease it out to people at variable rates, and watch the money roll in. Never underestimate greed. It's the foundation of business.

-Jack