Hello all, This sounds quite ridiculous to me. And I hope I am not the only one that thinks so. Sean Rolinson snowdog@charm.net ------- Forwarded Message Follows ------- Date: Thu, 16 Jan 97 12:51:47 UT From: "Chip Alexander" <Chip_MSN@msn.com> To: snowdog@charm.net Subject: FW: Urgent! AOP Alert 97:03 Have you seen this yet? Chip -----Original Message----- From: aop@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@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@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@aop.org ===================================================================== _______________________________________________________________________ Sean Rolinson Systems Administrator snowdog@charm.net Charm Net Inc. Baltimore, DC, N. Va's Access to the Internet (410) 558-3900 Voice (410) 558-3901 Fax email: info@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/ _______________________________________________________________________