(Fwd) FW: Urgent! AOP Alert 97:03

Sean Rolinson snowdog at charm.net
Thu Jan 16 09:45:43 UTC 1997


Hello all,

This sounds quite ridiculous to me.  And I hope I am not the only one 
that thinks so.

Sean Rolinson
snowdog at charm.net

------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
Date:          Thu, 16 Jan 97 12:51:47 UT
From:          "Chip Alexander" <Chip_MSN at msn.com>
To:            snowdog at charm.net
Subject:       FW: Urgent!  AOP Alert 97:03

Have you seen this yet?

Chip 

-----Original Message-----
From:	aop at cris.com 
Sent:	Wednesday, January 15, 1997 5:15 PM
To:	AOP Members
Subject:	Urgent!  AOP Alert 97:03

============================================================
AOP Alert                         Wednesday, January 15, 1997
============================================================

The following is a legislative alert from the Association of Online 
Professionals, the leading association of Internet Service Providers and other 
professionals who manage online services.
Please give it the widest possible distribution:

============================================================
AOP Opposes Network Solutions ARIN Proposal
============================================================

This week, Network Solutions, Inc. proposed the formation of a new entity that 
would charge ISPs from $2,500 to $20,000 per year for registration of Internet 
IP addresses.  This fee would be in addition to fees already charged for 
registration of domain names.
Under the proposal, an American Registry for Internet Numbers would be created 
as a non-profit entity to collect the fees and assign the addresses.  The new 
entity would replace the government- sponsored InterNIC IP group.  Companies 
who wish to participate in policy-making as members of the group would pay an 
additional $1,000 per year.
Information regarding the proposal may be found at
http://www.arin.net.

The Association of Online Professionals has serious concerns about the 
proposal, and urges all North American Internet service providers and their 
subscribers to oppose the measure until these concerns are addressed:
**  There is no indication in the proposal as to why the fees are
needed.
**  The proposed non-profit has no published goals, mission or other
information beyond its structure and fees.
**  The fee structure will cost the industry millions of dollars,
yet there is no information as to how the money will be spent or how it will 
benefit the Internet.
**  The assertions that the fees would not affect subscribers are
incorrect, as these fees would have to be passed on to consumers.
**  The assertions that ISPs can afford the fees as a cost of
doing business reflects a poor understanding of the current economics of 
Internet access services.  The proposed fee structure would have a devastating 
effect on small ISPs as well as non-profit, hobbyist and public access 
providers.
**  It is unclear under what authority Network Solutions would impose
the fees.  The Internet exists as a public resource, and as such should not be 
subjected to the arbitrary control of any small group of individuals or 
entities.
AOP has generally supported efforts to bring organization and structure to the 
Internet, including the imposition of fees to cover the cost of assigning and 
maintaining domain names.
However, AOP cannot support the current proposal until more information is 
provided and a meaningful dialogue established to ensure that the proposal is 
more than an attempt to wrest control of the Internet for a select group of 
self-proclaimed authorities.
Please do the following immediately:
1)	Contact InterNIC with a request that the proposal not be implemented.
Send the comments to naipr at internic.net.
2)	Urge your subscribers and business associates to reject the proposal.


AOP will make every effort to obtain answers to the questions raised, and will 
strive for meaningful conversations with Network Solutions on these issues.  
If you have comments that would help us build a consensus for these 
discussions, please direct them to exec at aop.org.

=====================================================================
Dave McClure                       (703) 924-9692   (703) 924-9594 Fax
Executive Director                 (703) 264-1750 BBS   Telnet aop.org
Assn of Online Professionals       http://www.aop.org     info at aop.org
=====================================================================

_______________________________________________________________________
Sean Rolinson            Systems Administrator        snowdog at charm.net
Charm Net Inc.           Baltimore, DC, N. Va's  Access to the Internet
(410) 558-3900 Voice     (410) 558-3901 Fax       email: info at charm.net
(410) 558-3300 Data      (202) 956-5110 Data    login: guest 'no pword'
http://www.charm.net/    TIP#2527     Personal http://www.rolinson.org/
_______________________________________________________________________





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