UK Government Puts Unwanted IPv4 Addresses Up For Sale

150,000 realeased

[engine]

I was surprised to find that the UK Government owns such large numbers of addresses, but then, perhaps it's not large. The first batch of 150,000 were snapped up, although, apparently, it's part of 16 million for one Government department. That seems a large number to me.

The UK government has started selling off internet addresses that it no longer uses. UK Government Puts Unwanted IPv4 Addresses Up For Sale [bbc.co.uk]

[lucy24]

part of 16 million for one Government department

:: business with calculator ::

One /8 = 16777216. The Ministry of Defence (25) is closing up shop? Or is it the Department for Work and Pensions (51)?

I'm not going to look it up. It's more fun to speculate.

16000 is about an /18. At the rate RIPE is currently doling out /22 niblets, that will buy them, oh, a week or two.

[bill]

There are a lot of IPv4 addresses that were distributed in the early days that aren't being used, or that could easily be recovered and put to use. It's doubtful all those universities, companies and government organizations who were granted class A blocks of addresses need them all.

This list of /8 holders is always an interesting reminder of where a lot of IPv4 addresses went [en.wikipedia.org...]

[topr8]

there will be big demand for these address blocks ... doubtless in true British government style they will be sold off at far less than they could be sold for.