[Apologies for duplicates]


Dear Colleagues,

Recent conversations on the RIPE mailing lists and at the recent RIPE NCC General Meeting have highlighted a number of concerns from members concerning the RIPE NCC Charging Scheme 2009. These concerns refer particularly to the changes laid out in RIPE Policy Proposal 2007-01, relating to charges for Direct End User (PI and ASN) assignments. More information on this proposal can be found at:
http://www.ripe.net/ripe/policies/proposals/2007-01.html

There are three areas in which we believe clarification of the RIPE NCC position would be useful.

Area 1: Service Fees
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In drafting the RIPE NCC Charging Scheme 2009, the RIPE NCC Board has made it a priority that the necessary changes have minimal impact on the fees paid by RIPE NCC members.

The changes will affect a relatively small number of LIRs who have requested many Direct End User assignments. The Direct End User assignments will now be included in the LIR's total score for the sole purpose of calculating the LIR's billing category, and in a few cases this will mean that the LIR moves up a category (for instance, from Medium to Large).

Approximately 80% of RIPE NCC members have Direct End User assigments that are taken into account for their billing score. The likelihood that an LIR will move to a higher billing category is offset, however, by the fact that the new Charging Scheme increases the upper limits of each billing category. This means that the addition of Direct End User assignments to an LIR's total score in most cases does not result in an increase in the LIR's billing category.


Area 2: Processes and procedures
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In the coming months, the RIPE NCC will develop processes and procedures to facilitate the implementation of these policy changes. This will enable us to support members to contact and update the registration of these resources.

The changes will be implemented in two phases:

- Phase one will involve the implementation of the new policy in relation to all new requests for PI assignments. This will happen in the first quarter of 2009.

- Phase two will be to apply the new policy to existing PI assignments, or those made before the adoption of Policy Proposal
2007-01. A plan for implementation of this phase will be presented at the next RIPE NCC Services Working Group, will be held at the RIPE 58 Meeting in Amsterdam, May 2009.


Area 3: Changes to future Charging Scheme
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The RIPE NCC Charging Scheme is agreed on each year by the membership of the RIPE NCC. All LIRs are encouraged to participate in discussion of the Charging Scheme, and to raise any issues that they feel are important to them or the membership as a whole. These discussions can take place during the RIPE NCC General Meetings, which are held twice a year, adjacent to RIPE Meetings, or on the RIPE NCC Services Working Group mailing list:
http://www.ripe.net/ripe/wg/ncc-services/index.html


If you have any further questions about any of these issues, you can contact RIPE NCC staff for further information at <contact@ripe.net>.


Regards,
Andrew de la Haye
Chief Operations Officer, RIPE NCC