[AfriNIC-rpd] Policy Proposal: End user classification for Universities

[Owen DeLong]

On Jun 29, 2012, at 12:32 AM, Guy Antony Halse wrote:

> On Fri 2012-06-29 (08:23), Mark Slingsby wrote:
>> So what does this really effect? What else is different between a LIR and
>> end user?  This only really sounds like a price issue.  Am I wrong?
> 
> Well, I can put that in context.
> 
> We currently provide Internet access free-of-charge to a number of
> previously disadvantaged schools.  The schools in question don't run their
> own networks; we do.  And we got there years before the Department of Basic
> Education even knew what the Internet was.
> 
> In the same way, we provide free connectivity to two local museums, neither
> of whom have sufficient funding to maintain their buildings and exhibits or
> pay their staff, let alone pay an Internet service provider.  (Their staff
> supply their own pens, since the organisation cannot afford them.)
> 
> This is done as a community-engagement activity, and is predicated on the
> fact that it has a low impact on our operations and is substantially
> uplifting to the local community.  It is done because it is the sort of
> things (South African) universities can and (IMHO) should be doing.  Think
> of it as paying it forward.
> 
> Does that make us an LIR?  We would argue about it, but in terms of the
> discussion here it might.  In reality the above uses less than 0.5% of our
> (legacy) IP allocation.
> 
> However, if we were classified as an LIR on the basis of these activities
> and had to start paying LIR fees (in the region of ZAR 160,000/year based on
> the fee structure on AfriNIC's website), there is only one possible outcome. 
> And that certainly doesn't involve us paying the LIR fees...

IMHO, it does make you an LIR. However, I would also support fee waivers or
other forms of discounts to encourage such activities.

There are two somewhat independent, but intertwined discussions here.

That of policy (where being an LIR is actually key to being able to do what
you are doing, whether you realize it or not) and that of fees (where you
clearly want to avoid getting jacked for fees based on the idea that you are
profiting from those connections when in fact, you are bearing the full cost
of those connections).

From a policy perspective, I would argue that you are and want to be an
LIR.

From a fee perspective, I would support defining a way for non-profit good-will
networks such as this to be charged fees more like end-users. I have attempted
(without success so far) to get a similar fee consideration for such networks
in the ARIN region.

I suspect that the AfriNIC community might be more amenable to such a
construct.

Owen