From the 'They Paid What?!' files:

Not that long ago, IPv4 addresses were free flowing. Not anymore.

The free pool of IPv4 address space is now gone and there is a premium that is being paid for those addresses. Well at least, Microsoft is paying a premium.

Microsoft is buying 666,624 IPv4 addresses from the bankrupt shell that used to be known as Nortel Networks.

How much is Microsoft paying?

$7.5 million.

So let's do the math, (7.5 milion/666,624 =) $11.25 per IPv4 address. That's right, the value of an IP address is now more than a domain name, go figure.

Of particular note here is the fact that Nortel's bankruptcy team solicited bids from 80 companies, only four of whom actually bid for all 666,624 IPv4 addresses.

Microsoft will not immediately get use of all 666,624 IPv4 addresses.