Dear Dirk, A few facts from the other Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) may help frame workable options. RIR,How fees scale,How voting rights scale, Outcome
**APNIC** Seven tiers based on total IPv4/IPv6 held; base fee + “bit-factor” multiplier. 1–64 votes per member (Associate = 1, Extra-Large = 64). Operates since 2010 without corporate capture; board seats still change hands regularly.
**LACNIC** Annual fee rises from USD 600 (\</22) to > USD 20 k (≥/15). 1–11 votes per member, tied to category. No dominant company—community elections remain competitive. **ARIN** 13 fee brackets from USD 262.50 (/24) up to USD 256 000 (> /9). One vote per member; extra “weight” is only when one person represents several distinct members. Again, no takeover despite very large holders.
1. A mixed model—flat base fee plus a progressive charge on address holdings - is workable and accepted elsewhere. 2. Where voting power is proportional (APNIC, LACNIC), no evidence of corporate domination has emerged; reputation and community oversight keep behaviour in check. 3. Even ARIN’s flat-vote model demonstrates that steeply graduated fees alone do not deter large members from supporting the registry’s public- interest mission. I've heard the concern that 'corporations will take over RIPE' raised many times, over and over again. However, people seem to forget that other RIRs have successfully managed corporate participation. Could someone explain why this wouldn't work for RIPE? What makes RIPE fundamentally different or special in this regard? On Fri, 2025-05-30 at 22:05 +0200, D. Walde - Walde IT-Systemhaus wrote:
It's about fair distribution. And companies that earn millions should also understand that they have to do their share. And not just laugh and say, "Yeah, unfortunately, you came 30 years too late." You won't even be able to get started in the market.
We need to come up with a new fee structure that is fair to all members.
Yes, I'm exaggerating about the statement about millions. But it should be possible to even consider approaches to a fair model.
Everyone should openly say how we could improve the model without being immediately punished by others. Suggestions are welcome. Just because the model is 30 years old doesn't necessarily make it good or fair.
Suggestions are ideas, and they can be good, bad, or whatever. But that's what suggestions are about: the exchange of ideas and opinions.
Just because I like chocolate ice cream the most doesn't mean everyone has to share my opinion. or even like ice cream.
Greetings, Dirk