[AfriNIC-rpd] Re: Proposal: Ability to Transfer IPv4 addresses from a member to any company

[David Conrad]

Walu,

On Feb 7, 2011, at 3:07 AM, Walubengo J wrote:
> just out of curiosity, was this proposal (which seems to be headed to the guillotine) intended to regularize a "black" market for IPv4 resources?

Probably, although I suspect a more politic way of describing it would be as an attempt to avoid the proliferation of a 'black' market in IPv4 addresses.

> Does anyone have literature or experiences of underground trading of IPv4 resources? As in how big is the market, how does it work, who are the major actors and beneficiaries? Any urls documenting this practice?

As the market is 'black', I suspect data of this sort will be hard to come by.  There have been a few trial balloons floated on eBay (withdrawn before bids closed, IIRC) and there is a large amount of anecdotes about buying/selling on the black market, but very little (if any) that can be referenced.  I believe Martin Hannigan was quoted on this topic recently (http://www.informationweek.com/news/internet/policy/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=229201157#comments).

Regards,
-drc