Dear Colleagues, As you are probably aware, the period of time you are waiting for a first reply to your requests and queries has risen recently. Current wait times for the <hostmaster@ripe.net> <lir-help@ripe.net> and <new-lir@ripe.net> mail boxes are running at over two weeks. We understand that this is very inconvenient for you and want to keep you informed as to the reasons and our actions to improve the situation. There are three key factors in the rise of the wait queues: Firstly, the number of tickets opened by LIRs during the first three months of 2002 was approximately 6% higher than that period in 2001. Secondly, the number of mergers and closures of LIRs have more than doubled and their complexity has risen. We are seeing far more mergers involving six or more LIRs. Fuller details will be presented at the next RIPE meeting (RIPE42, 29 April - 3 May 2002 in Amsterdam). Finally, the "criteria for an initial /20 PA allocation" policy implemented in November 2001 has placed an additional load on our New-LIR Co-ordinators. The combination of these three factors has had a negative impact on the service we aim to provide our membership. We are currently streamlining our processes and reviewing our internal procedures. Additional and revised documentation of policies and procedures will be published shortly. We look forward to seeing you at the next RIPE meeting in Amsterdam. A full report from the RIPE NCC Registration Services will be given in the LIR Working Group session on Wednesday morning, 1 May 2002. Kind regards, Dominic Spratley Registration Services Assistant Manager