<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; ">Rebecca,<DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Please refer to the Afrinic website i.e. <A href="http://www.afrinic.net">http://www.afrinic.net</A></DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>In summary:</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>1) To receive IP addresses you need to become a Local Internet Registry. </DIV><DIV>2) There are various levels of LIR membership primarily based on the amount of address space being requested</DIV><DIV>3) As an LIR you have full access to all Afrinic resources i.e. address space, Autonomous system numbers, training etc...</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Please refer to the site and if you have further questions don't hesitate to ask or write to <A href="mailto:hostmaster@afrinic.net">hostmaster@afrinic.net</A></DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Warm regards,</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Brian Longwe</DIV><DIV>Alt. Director - East Africa, AfriNIC</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><BR><DIV><DIV>On Jun 28, 2006, at 1:37 PM, Rebecca Wanjiku wrote:</DIV><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><DIV>am looking for information regarding AfriNIC and cost of IP addresses, anyone with experience, comparison of prices before and now that AFRINIC is there,</DIV> <DIV>thanks</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><BR> </DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size="3"><FONT face="Times New Roman">AfriNIC STILL GOING STRONG<O:P></O:P></FONT></FONT></B></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size="3"><FONT face="Times New Roman">By Rebecca Wanjiku<O:P></O:P></FONT></FONT></B></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size="3"><FONT face="Times New Roman">HIGHWAY AFRICA NEWS AGENCY, <ST1:CITY w:st="on"><ST1:PLACE w:st="on">MARRAKESH</ST1:PLACE></ST1:CITY>, (June 27, 2006)<O:P></O:P></FONT></FONT></B></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><O:P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </FONT></O:P></B></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3">When the idea of establishing a Regional Internet Registry (RIR), was floated in 1998, pessimists dismissed the idea arguing that <ST1:PLACE w:st="on">Africa</ST1:PLACE> is incapable of sustaining the registry while others said that we need to take part in the digital race.</FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><O:P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </FONT></O:P></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3">A year after AfriNIC was given full recognition and backing by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the organization has made major strides towards allocating Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and training.</FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><O:P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </FONT></O:P></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3">“We have conducted training in <ST1:COUNTRY-REGION w:st="on">Egypt</ST1:COUNTRY-REGION>, <ST1:COUNTRY-REGION w:st="on">Sudan</ST1:COUNTRY-REGION>, <ST1:COUNTRY-REGION w:st="on">Nigeria</ST1:COUNTRY-REGION> and <ST1:PLACE w:st="on"><ST1:COUNTRY-REGION w:st="on">Kenya</ST1:COUNTRY-REGION></ST1:PLACE>. We are hoping to harness the human recourse so that we can have people to offer these services as new technology emerges,” said Adiel Akplogan, AfriNIC chief executive.</FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><O:P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </FONT></O:P></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3">AfriNIC was recognized last April at a meeting held in <ST1:PLACE w:st="on"><ST1:COUNTRY-REGION w:st="on">Argentina</ST1:COUNTRY-REGION></ST1:PLACE>. Previously, African Internet Service Providers (ISPs) had to work with other RIR in Europe and <ST1:PLACE w:st="on">North America</ST1:PLACE>.</FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><O:P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </FONT></O:P></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3">But Akplogan admits that technology consumption still poses a major challenge and is not as rosy as it may suggest. For instance out of 15 million IP address, <ST1:PLACE w:st="on">Africa</ST1:PLACE> has only used up 6 per cent.</FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><O:P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </FONT></O:P></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3">“I believe there is still lack of aware on the availability of such services. Some network operators in the region do not know they can come to AfriNIC and get the allocations,” said Akplogan.</FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><O:P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </FONT></O:P></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3">While the slow uptake of uptake of IP address has been blamed on the lack of awareness, it is also argued that the prices charged are still high for a market that is still struggling with issues of accessibility.</FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><O:P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </FONT></O:P></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size="3"><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Pierre Ouedraogo, from <ST1:PLACE w:st="on"><ST1:COUNTRY-REGION w:st="on">Burkina Faso</ST1:COUNTRY-REGION></ST1:PLACE> says that the prices have been reduced to fit the African market given that before AfriNIC prices were dictated by other regions depending on the area of allocation.</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><O:P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </FONT></O:P></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3">“In 1997, I got the first IP address block from Europe; <ST1:PLACE w:st="on"><ST1:COUNTRY-REGION w:st="on">Burkina Faso</ST1:COUNTRY-REGION></ST1:PLACE> has not exhausted these numbers. All Africans should believe in our movement, telecommunication agencies, governments and technology experts should engage in outreach activities to ensure as many people as possible are aware of the services,” Ouedraogo said.</FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><O:P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </FONT></O:P></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3">There is debate whether <ST1:PLACE w:st="on">Africa</ST1:PLACE> should proceed with allocation of IP version 6 or first exhaust the available version 4.</FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><O:P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </FONT></O:P></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3">However, Akplogan and Ouedraogo feel that if a country has the ability to roll out IPv6, then it should not be restricted. They contend that it is easier to adapt to the new strategy since some had not even taken up the IPv4.</FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><O:P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </FONT></O:P></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3">IPv4 has been in use since internet was discovered and there has been a push for a newer version that would adopt more features. IPv6 has improved functions, compared to version 4.</FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><O:P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </FONT></O:P></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3">“It’s the future of the networks, have to follow technology evolution, what people are doing now, there is no need to wait” said Akplogan.</FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><O:P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </FONT></O:P></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3">Akplogan admits that after the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) and the ensuing debate on Internet Governance AfriNIC has been forced to be focal point on such issues in the region.</FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><O:P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </FONT></O:P></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3">“We need more resources to deal with different issues without neglecting our core business which is allocation of IP addresses,” Akplogan added.</FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><O:P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </FONT></O:P></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3">Ends </FONT></DIV> <DIV class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><O:P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </FONT></O:P></DIV><BR><BR><BR>Rebecca Wanjiku,<BR>journalist,<BR>p.o box 33515, <BR>Nairobi.00600<BR>Kenya.<BR><BR>Tel. 254 720 318 925<BR><BR>blog:<A href="http://beckyit.blogspot.com">http://beckyit.blogspot.com</A>/<DIV> <BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><HR size="1">Do you Yahoo!?<BR> Get on board. <A href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=40791/*http://advision.webevents.yahoo.com/handraisers">You're invited</A> to try the new Yahoo! 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