IP: USC-IANA Press Release

[Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

> From the University of Southern California News Service
3620 South Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2538
Tel: 213 740 2215  Fax: 213 740 7600
Email: news_service () usc edu
http://www.usc.edu/go/news

Contact:        Bob Calverley (213-740-4750)

1098001

        email:  calverle () usc edu



Internet Address Arbiter

Proposes Transfer of

Function to Private Sector

The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), which now
coordinates the Internet's address system, domain names and
protocols, has submitted its proposal for future management of
Internet names and addresses to the National Telecommunications
and Information Administration (NTIA) of the U.S. Department of
Commerce.

In recently submitted written congressional testimony, Jon Postel,
Ph.D., a research scientist at the University of Southern California's
Information Sciences Institute (ISI) who has directed IANA since its
inception, said "this proposal is the result of an extensive process of
discussions and negotiations among a large number of interested
people and organizations
conferences and, most appropriately for this purpose, extensive
use of the Internet with people all over the world."

IANA has been operating under a U.S. government contract.  Last
June,  the NTIA issued a white paper calling on private-sector
Internet stakeholders to form a not-for-profit corporation to
administer policy for the Internet name and address system.

The new IANA proposal, written in response to this white paper,
includes proposed articles of incorporation for a new, nonprofit
public-benefit corporation to be called the Internet Corporation for
Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), bylaws for the new
organization, and a list of nominations for an interim board to
govern it until a permanent board is elected.  The new organization,
formally incorporated in California, will not elect a board or adopt
bylaws until the NTIA has completed reviewing the IANA proposal.

Dr. Postel said IANA will continue to function under its current
government contract until the new organization is formed to take
over its duties.  Comments on IANA's proposal should be directed
by email to comments () iana org and will be posted electronically
on the IANA website at http://www.iana.org.  The transmittal letter
to NTIA, the proposed articles of incorporation, bylaws and brief
bios of the nominated board candidates are also posted on the
IANA website.

Because he is recovering from surgery, Postel is currently
unavailable for comment on specifics of the IANA proposal and
transition.  While Postel is recuperating, all functions of IANA will
continue to be carried out reliably by ISI, and in accordance with
the directions of the appropriate authority.