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Date:      Mon, 2 Dec 1996 02:21:05 -0800 (PST)
From:      Tony Li <tli@jnx.com>
To:        john@gateway.net.hk (John Beukema)
Cc:        freebsd-isp@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: IP number ownership
Message-ID:  <199612021021.CAA12280@chimp.jnx.com>
References:  <Pine.BSI.3.91.961202140922.1341A-100000@gateway.net.hk>

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   Is an existing IP number assignment (class b or /16) to an ISP 'property' 
   in that it cannot be taken away even after a change in control of the 
   ISP?  I have been through all the internic.net materials and still do not 
   have an answer.

John,

An IP address assignment is not 'property': you do not have full property
rights, for example.  The NIC and its delegates are supposed to
periodically scan the address space to insure that any assignment that
you've been granted is in fact in use.  If not, it can request that you
relinquish your prefix.  Alternately, if you do not respond at all, the NIC
may conclude that you've died a silent death and may reassign your prefix.

However, a prefix IS a resource.  It can be traded, sold, bought or
exchanged.  Routing the prefix is the hard part, and the value of a
particular prefix in part depends on its routability.  A /16 is universally
routable -- a /32 is not.

Tony



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