Governance
Portability of internet number resources: Why ICP-2 revision must guarantee mobility
Lu Heng outlines why mandatory portability of number resources in the ICP-2 revision is essential for resilience and network autonomy.
Headline
Lu Heng outlines why mandatory portability of number resources in the ICP-2 revision is essential for resilience and network autonomy.
Context
In his 17 September 2025 essay “On Portability of Number Resources and the ICP-2 Revision” , Lu Heng, CEO of LARUS Limited and founder of the LARUS Foundation , outlines why the forthcoming update to the ICP-2 document must include a clear, enforceable right to portability for Internet number resources. ICP-2 is a key governance document within the Regional Internet Registry (RIR) system, setting principles for how number resources such as IPv4, IPv6 and autonomous system numbers (ASNs) are managed. Currently, networks are often tied to the RIR where they initially registered their resources. Heng argues that this creates systemic risk: when a registry experiences failure, governance issues or operational breakdowns, its members can lack any practical way to relocate their number resources to another RIR. This lock-in undermines autonomy and resilience, potentially harming the stability of critical Internet infrastructure.
Evidence
Pending intelligence enrichment.
Analysis
Also Read: Calls grow for a clean break in APNIC governance For Heng, true autonomy means that organisations holding number resources should be able to transfer those resources without undue restrictions. Making portability a mandatory requirement within the ICP-2 revision would act as a safety valve: in the event of governance failure, networks would have an immediate, enforceable fallback mechanism. Beyond resilience, mandatory portability would also drive accountability among RIRs. If members can relocate their resources, registries would face stronger market and governance incentives to maintain high service quality and neutrality. Heng emphasises that this proposal is not a call for complexity but a necessary structural improvement. Also Read: Why centralised alternatives fail: The case for a decentralised internet registry
Key Points
- Lu Heng asserts that number resource portability must be mandatory in the ICP-2 policy to reduce systemic risk and enhance autonomy.
- Mandatory portability would incentivise accountability among registries and protect networks from governance failures.
Actions
Pending intelligence enrichment.
