ASO formation and function

The Address Supporting Organization (ASO) is one of the supporting organisations that the ICANN Bylaws say should be "formed through community consensus". The purpose of the ASO is to review and develop recommendations on Internet Protocol (IP) address policy and to advise the ICANN Board.

In July 1999, the three existing Regional Internet Registries (APNIC, ARIN, and RIPE NCC) submitted a proposal to form the ASO on the basis of a Memorandum of Understanding. ICANN accepted this proposal on 26 August 1999.

The ASO was formed on 19 October 1999, when the MoU was signed by representatives of APNIC, ARIN, and RIPE NCC and ICANN. This happened during the ARIN Open Policy Meeting in Denver, USA. LACNIC signed the MoU in 30 October 2002 following its official recognition as an RIR.

A new Memorandum of Understanding between ICANN and the Number Resource Organization, on behalf of the Regional Internet Registries, was signed on 21 October 2004 at ARIN XIV in Reston, Virginia.

Upon recognition by ICANN as a Regional Internet Registry, AfriNIC signed an MoU with the NRO on 24 April 2005 to become the NRO’s 5th member.

The ASO Address Council

Each of the Regional Internet Registries appoints three members of the ASO Address Council. Two members are selected by the regional policy forum of each of the RIRs and one member is appointed from the Executive Board of each RIR.

The purpose of the AC is to oversee recommendations on IP address policy. This will include the management of policy development activities.

The other major aspect of the role of the Address Council is the appointment of Directors to the ICANN Board of Directors.

Contacting the ASO

For public input into the ASO, including questions and comments about IP addressing issues, policies and procedures, you are encouraged to use our mailing lists, particularly aso-policy . Policy development takes place in regional open policy forums.

If you have queries regarding the ASO, please contact:

secretariat@aso.icann.org

for administrative questions and comments;

webmaster@aso.icann.org

for comments, problems, and feedback about this website.