[address-policy-wg] Revisiting RIPE Policy Proposal 2007-01

[Hank Nussbacher hank@localhost]

Recently, RIPE Policy Proposal 2007-01 titled "Direct Internet Resource 
Assignments to End Users from the RIPE NCC" was passed:
http://www.ripe.net/ripe/policies/proposals/2007-01.html

Unfortunately, I believe not all aspects of its impact were made clear to 
the members.  For example, in the section marked "Policy Documents to be 
Affected" there are 4 RIPE documents listed, but *not* listed is the RIPE 
NCC Charging Scheme 2008:
http://www.ripe.net/ripe/docs/ripe-420.html
which was changed for 2009 via:
http://www.ripe.net/ripe/docs/charging.html

The crucial change here is that AS numbers, IPv4 Provider Independent (PI)
assignments and IPv6 PI assignments have been changed from a one-time
score to a recurring score.

Max, jokingly stated in April:
http://www.ripe.net/ripe/maillists/archives/address-policy-wg/2008/msg00244.html
"May be we should return back old charging scheme when PI is billed
yearly to LIRs? This will enforce return unused space, make contracts
between LIRs and end-users, and so on just *automagically* ;)"

Little did I know that this is what would come to pass - retroactively!

Gert stated in Sept:
http://www.ripe.net/ripe/maillists/archives/address-policy-wg/2008/msg00537.html
"PI is currently scored in the year of assignment, and then never again,
so it's not "fully free", but after the initial cost, it is - so the
term "basically free" is appropriate.
...
As has been mentioned before: the address policy WG does not have the
power to actually decide on the final charging scheme.  We give input
to the AGM (= annual general meeting of all NCC members), and the AGM
decides on the final charging scheme to be implemented.
So, regarding the *charging* component of 2007-01: the AGM can do this
without 2007-01, or they can decide to not do anything about it, even with
2007-01 reaching consensus."

Maybe I missed the discussion in regards to 2007-01 where it was stated 
that the charging algorithm would change.  For example, one LIR I consult 
to was extra small in 2008 (1300Euro) and now is medium (2550Euro).  They 
assigned 54 ASNs between 1997-2005 and no IPv4 or IPv6 address space at 
all.  So since the charging algorithm is now a retroactive recurring score, 
their bill doubled suddenly.
Was this totally understood by us?

Thanks,
Hank