Services
PI, legacy and ASN sponsorship
Hold independent internet resources without running your own LIR. We act as sponsoring LIR for PI space, legacy blocks and AS numbers, handling the registry side while the resources stay assigned to you.
From €99 a yearPricing
Sponsorship pricing
A flat annual fee per resource and one setup fee. No percentage cuts, no volume tiers to negotiate.
PI / legacy IPv4 and IPv6
€199per year
Sponsorship for provider independent and legacy IPv4 assignments, and for provider independent IPv6. Same annual fee either way.
AS number
€99per year
Sponsorship for a 16-bit or 32-bit autonomous system number.
plus a one-off €149 setup fee per resource
Compare
Sponsorship or your own LIR
Becoming a Local Internet Registry yourself means the RIPE NCC's sign-up fee, its annual fee and the application process. Sponsorship gets you the same access without any of the three.
| Option | Setup fee | Annual fee | Time to set up | Time to get IPs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTM Networks sponsorship | €149 | From €99 | 24 hours | 24 hours |
| Your own RIPE NCC LIR | €1,000 | €1,800 | Several weeks | Several weeks |
RIPE NCC figures are its published 2026 charging scheme: a €1,000 sign-up fee and €1,800 per LIR account per year, before per-resource charges. Setup times for your own LIR depend on the RIPE NCC's review and how complete your documentation is.
Background
What sponsorship actually means
A sponsoring LIR is the formal link between your organization and the RIPE NCC. The resources are registered to you, not to us. We hold the membership relationship so that you do not have to become a member yourself.
That distinction matters in practice. You keep full control of the space: announce it in BGP from wherever you like, through whichever upstream you choose, and manage reverse DNS as you see fit. Sponsorship is an administrative arrangement, not a lease, and you can move it to another LIR whenever you want.
What you avoid is the membership fee, the application process, and having to follow registry policy as it changes. Those become our problem rather than yours.
Included
What sponsorship covers
Everything the registry relationship requires, handled as a matter of course rather than billed as extras.
- Reverse DNS delegation set up on request
- abuse-c contact configured and kept current
- Letter of Authorization issued whenever you need one
- RPKI / ROA creation and updates for your announcements
- Due diligence on requests before they are submitted to the RIPE NCC
- Registry object maintenance: inetnum, route, aut-num and related records
- Annual registry fees for the sponsored resource included in the yearly price
- RIPE NCC relationship maintained on your behalf, so no LIR of your own is needed
- Help if you later transfer the resource or move sponsorship elsewhere, with no lock-in
- Policy changes tracked on your behalf, so your registration stays compliant as the rules move
Photo: NASA
Testimonials
Trusted by network operators across Europe
In the words of the businesses we have handled transfers, leases and sponsorships for.
We successfully worked with RTM Networks to buy a legacy IPv4/24 and receive a PI IPv6 /48. RTM is our LIR Sponsor and and the whole process was really smooth. Everything worked out the easy way without any troubles in transfer of the IP Ranges. We continue to work with them as LIR sponsor and infrastructure for one of the backbones we are connected now. Special thanks Rick for helping us in setting up the mesh connected backbones and bird. After decades in the business a great experience with cool people. Thank you for doing a great job.
For me, what sets RTM Networks apart is the people. Rick combines professionalism with a genuinely personal approach: he is direct, friendly and someone you can rely on, and he and his team understand this industry and take responsibility for getting things done. Working with them over several years has been a very positive experience, and we have seen it from both sides. Our relationship actually began with RTM buying from us: we sold them several /24 IPv4 prefixes, and every deal was handled so professionally, clearly and responsibly that it was easy for us. Later the tables turned and we leased a /24 from them, a practical and economical solution for our business. Seller first, customer later: either way, I recommend RTM Networks with confidence.
In twelve years of working with Rick, he has never once let me down. Since 2014 he has helped me enormously, in many different ways, and he has always been incredibly helpful, friendly and trustworthy, ready to think along or lend a hand whenever I needed it. When it comes to RIPE, networking or anything else in network infrastructure, his knowledge and experience are excellent, but it is his reliability I value most: he is the one I know I can always count on. Rick and RTM Networks are people you can truly depend on. Rick, thank you for everything over the years. I really appreciate our cooperation and hope we will keep working together for many more.
In about a year as a customer of RTM, starting out through their sister company Bakker IT, I have not run into a single hiccup. Rick is truly dedicated to giving his customers an excellent experience, and you can tell they are after a long-term relationship, with everything in place to make it one. RTM is both my LIR and my lease-to-own sponsor for IPv4 space. Prices are honest, support is great and quick to react, and the addresses are spotless. You can't go wrong with RTM Networks!
Thanks to Rick, our entire network segment was transferred without a single issue. He is a great help with anything to do with RIPE, whether registrations, transfers or routing. We started doing business with RTM Networks over a year ago, when we leased an IPv4 network from them.
I never had to wait two days or more for a reply to a single email. So far I have only dealt with Rick, who answers fast and has been very helpful. Good people, reasonable prices, and everything works. I buy from Austria.
Custom setups
Something else in mind?
If your situation does not fit the three options above (multiple resources, an unusual assignment history, a migration from another sponsor), tell us what you hold and we will put together an arrangement that fits. Custom setups are routine rather than an exception.
Contact
Need a sponsoring LIR?
Tell us which resources you hold or want to hold: PI space, legacy blocks or an AS number. We usually reply in 1-3 business hours.
FAQ
Sponsorship questions
What does a sponsoring LIR actually do?
Independent resources such as PI space, legacy blocks and AS numbers have to be tied to an LIR that maintains the registry relationship. We hold that relationship for you. The resource stays assigned to your organization; we handle the agreement, the registry objects and the annual administration.
Do I lose control of my resources?
No. The assignment stays in your organization's name. Sponsorship is an administrative relationship, not a transfer of ownership, and you can move it to another LIR whenever you choose.
Can you take over sponsorship from another LIR?
Yes, and it is a routine change. We coordinate with your current sponsor and the registry so the resource is never left unsponsored. Tell us what you hold and we will confirm what is involved.
What is the setup fee for?
The one-off €149 covers onboarding a resource: verifying the assignment, drawing up the sponsorship agreement, and creating the registry objects and RPKI configuration. After that it is the annual fee for that resource and nothing else.
Do you sponsor legacy space?
Yes. Legacy blocks are a significant part of what we sponsor. Legacy resources sit under different registry conditions than ordinary PA space, so tell us what you hold and we will walk through exactly what applies to your block.
What exactly is LIR sponsorship at the RIPE NCC, and when do I need it?
In the RIPE NCC service region, provider independent resources cannot sit on their own; they have to be attached to a Local Internet Registry that maintains the registry relationship on the holder's behalf. That attachment is the sponsorship. You need one if you hold or are acquiring PI space, legacy blocks or an AS number and do not run your own LIR. It is common to arrange it at the same time as a purchase, so the transfer and the ongoing administration end up with one party rather than two.
Services
Related services
Other ways we help with IPv4 address space.
Buy IPv4
Purchase IPv4 address blocks outright
Lease IPv4
Rent IPv4 addresses on flexible terms
Lease IPv6
IPv6 allocations from /48 upward

Further reading
What a sponsoring LIR is, and when you need one
PI space and AS numbers need a contract, but not a membership of your own. What a sponsoring LIR does, what it costs, and when you need your own LIR.
Read more
