IPv4 Market Group Is Asking: "When Will ARIN Run Out of IPv4 Addresses?"

LEWISTON, NY–(Marketwired – Jun 17, 2014) – ARIN is down to its last /8, but what does this really mean? Entities can still request IPv4 addresses from the ARIN free pool, until such time as the remaining /8 is exhausted and the Final /10 policy takes effect.

This last /8 will not last forever, and IPv4 Market Group wants to spread the word about the coming runout in ARIN region. To increase awareness of the implications of the runout, IPv4 Market Group is sponsoring a contest “When will ARIN run out of IPv4 Addresses?” Between June 17, 2014 and July 31, 2014, guess the date and time that the counter on the main ARIN web page will register 0.00 /8’s remaining. Entries may be made at http://www.ipv4marketgroup.com/contest. The person who guesses the date/time most accurately, as proven after runout, will win $3,000 US. Contest rules are published at: http://www.ipv4marketgroup.com/contestrules.

It is not easy to get IPv4 addresses from the ARIN free pool. The constraints are that a requester must justify its need, an ISP can only get a three month supply, an end user can only get a 12 month supply, and a first in, first out policy applies.

The ARIN free pool is only one way to get IPv4 addresses. The other is the transfer market. The ARIN Specified Transfer Listing Service, which IPv4 Market Group participates in as a facilitator, allows transfers based on a 24 month supply.

The process to complete an ARIN transfer is somewhat detailed. ARIN pre-approval based on 24 month need is the first requirement. The initial interaction with a seller is to do a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). Then the terms between the buyer and seller are captured in an Asset Purchase Agreement (APA). The payment and transfer are performed in accordance with the APA and ARIN 8.3 Transfer policy.

It is difficult to predict how long the last /8 will last. The 2^nd last /8 persisted from May 2013 to April 2014. The last /8 will probably go faster, as we have seen large blocks in the form of a /10, /13, and /12 recently distributed. In addition, IANA has returned /11 to ARIN. So, there are large increases and decreases as variables change.

IPv4 Market Group welcomes everyone to enter the “When will ARIN run out of IPv4 Addresses?” Contest. Questions and ideas on transfer market requirements are also welcomed. 

IPv4 Market Group is an approved facilitator in the ARIN region, and provides market leading services to arrange IPv4 transfers between companies with excess IPv4 inventories to companies in need of IPv4 addresses. For information or transfer assistance, please visit our web page at http://ipv4marketgroup.com/ or contact Jeff Mehlenbacher at 905-880-5906.