[ncc-services-wg] Requirement for fax numbers in LIR Portal

Aside from registered postal mail, it is the only method
of record communication generating a legally valid
receipt of communication, so it is highly advisable to
retain this requirement.  

Some organizations may feel discomfort at the requirement
to be contactable by accountable means, but this is in my
opinion  a small price to pay to counterbalance the very
large number of organizations which ignore all attempts to
communicate via e-mail.

Jeffrey Race
Cambridge Electronics Laboratories


On Thu, 29 Aug 2013 12:59:37 +0200, Erik Bais wrote:

>Hi Nick, 
>
>I believe that a valid fax nr is required in the procedure to reset the maintainer object authorization. 
>
>If my recollection of that specific procedure is correct, it is one of the ways the RIPE NCC communicates during part of that procedure. 
>Although we don't use a fax for normal business anymore these days, we have a dedicated fax number (pointing to a mailbox) specific for companies that are still in the 80's. 
>
>Regards,
>Erik Bais 
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: ncc-services-wg-bounces at ripe.net [mailto:ncc-services-wg-bounces at ripe.net] On Behalf Of Nick Hilliard
>Sent: donderdag 29 augustus 2013 12:23
>To: ncc-services-wg at ripe.net
>Subject: [ncc-services-wg] Requirement for fax numbers in LIR Portal
>
>The LIR Portal requires a fax-no: in several places, including initial LIR
>setup and ipv4/ipv6 allocation forms.
>
>Can this attribute be made optional instead of mandatory?  Most
>organisations respond with surprise verging on mild panic when you tell
>them that they need a fax to be a RIPE NCC member.
>
>Does this require a policy change, or is it an operational thing in the
>NCC?  I can't see any policy which makes fax-no: mandatory, but I haven't
>looked very closely either.
>
>Nick
>
>
>