In September of 2016 the IETF Trust assumed stewardship of certain intellectual property (i.e., domain names and trademarks) associated with Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). This was the result of a two-year long process that started in March of 2014, when the U.S. Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced its intent to transfer the stewardship of key Internet functions to the global multistakeholder community.
Additional Background
The transition proposal included a requirement for certain IPR associated with IANA to be transferred from ICANN to an entity independent of the IANA functions operator.
After discussion within the operational communities and the IETF Trust, the IETF Trust indicated that it would be willing to hold the IANA IPR. Among other things, the IETF Trust was created for the purpose of acquiring, holding, maintaining and licensing certain intellectual property for the advancement of the science and technology associated with the Internet and related technology. The IETF Trust agreed to hold the IANA IPR in the service of the affected Internet operational communities.
Representatives from the names community, the numbers community, the protocol parameter community, the IETF Trust, and ICANN drafted a set of agreements to effectuate the transfer of the IANA IPR from ICANN to the IETF Trust and to govern the relationships amongst the parties with respect to the IPR after the transfer. More background can be found here: http://www.ianacg.org/coordination-group/icg-documents/.
Proposed Amendment to License Agreements 1 May 17
1. Exhibit E – Domain Name Registrar Requirements
Trust Executed Agreements
1. IANA IPR Assignment Agreement
This agreement transfers the IPR from ICANN to the IETF Trust
2. IANA IPR Community Agreement
This agreement explains the rights and obligations of the IETF Trust and each operational community as regards the IPR.
3. IANA IPR License Agreements
This agreement allows for the IANA functions operator to use the IPR. The document available for public comment is a basic form that will be used to generate three license agreements, one each for the names, numbers, and protocol parameters IANA services. Items highlighted in yellow will vary by agreement and will be completed once the License Agreement is split into three. In each case the licensee is ICANN, with the ability established for ICANN to sublicense to PTI.
a. IANA Names Services
b. IANA Numbers Services
c. IANA Protocol Parameter Services