[ncc-services-wg] 2012-08 Discussion Period extended until 1 March 2013 (Publication of Sponsoring LIR for Independent Number Resources)

Peter makes some very good points here. 

If the End User doesn't know who their Sponsoring LIR is, there is nothing
keeping them from transferring the resource to another LIR. 

You would be surprised how may LIR's are sponsoring PI space without any
contract or charge to their customers of 8 years ago ... and those LIR's
still keep paying the bill to RIPE. 

Last year I cleaned up an LIR of 25+ PI resources of former customers. If
the LIR themselves is unaware of the situation or simply don't care and the
customer never receives any invoice for resources. 
Who are we to decide to publish this information.

The last argument, that it would make abuse easier ... 

/sigh.  

Being a sponsoring LIR has nothing to do with abuse management. Being an LIR
has nothing to do with having a network or route packets. 
Being / running an LIR doesn't mean you have your own network .. nor does it
say that you are an ISP .. or a hoster. You are running a resource
registration office. 

Yes we register PI space for end-users, even if they are not consuming our
network services. 

We charge end-users for that service, we provide RIPE with all the required
paperwork and handle the PI request, but if someone is routing some "bad"
packets on the IP's we registered for them in the past, why would it help
abuse if someone knows who registered the PI space in the first place?  It
is not that we can put a null-route for the IP's or 'drop the BGP
announcement' as they are not in our network.

Perhaps the name 'Sponsoring LIR' is a bit tricky as it might give the
impression it is for free. 
But registration of resources (PI space, AS numbers etc) is just like any
other kind of registration services, it takes time to provide the service
and we charge for the time. 

So, perhaps a bit longer story than what Peter said, but the result it the
same. 

Not in favor for this policy. 

Regards,
Erik Bais 
A2B Internet