Nortel, in bankruptcy, sells IPv4 address block for $7.5 million

Thu Mar 24 19:26:54 UTC 2011

Sent from my iPad

On Mar 24, 2011, at 8:40 AM, Tore Anderson <tore.anderson at redpill-linpro.com> wrote:

> * Leo Bicknell
> 
>> I think the more interesting question is why would Microsoft pay
>> $7.5 million for something they can, at least for the moment, get
>> for free.
> 
> A very interesting question indeed!
> 
> However, they can only get them for free from ARIN if they can document
> an immediate demand. Perhaps they don't have an immediate demand, and
> are simply stockpiling addresses for later use post ARIN depletion? Or
> perhaps they hope to make a profit then by selling them to someone else.
> 
> Either way, it sure seems they're speculating that the market price of
> an IPv4 address is going to rise to more than US$11.25.
> 
> -- 
> Tore Anderson
> Redpill Linpro AS - http://www.redpill-linpro.com
> Tel: +47 21 54 41 27

If they are stockpiling and can't justify need, they are doing so outside of ARIN policy and I will be surprised if that doesn't get challenged by ARIN.

Owen