> 
> OK so the transfer policy in its current form essentially 
> says that transfers
> are really competitive renewals.  Sure, fair enough.
> 
> Why then does the policy also state that a transfer can occur 
> at any time?
>  

This gives the registrant the choice to continue with their current licence,
or choose a different provider at any time.

> 
> What about the situation where I am as an enduser totally 
> dissatisfied with
> the service that I am receiving from my registrar?  W

The issue is whether the service is as stated by the registrar at the time
of registration.  If the registration claims a 1 week turn-around for a
redelegation, and instead takes 2 weeks, this would be grounds for auDA to
arrange a transfer to a registrar of choice, where the new registrar does
not charge for the change.

hy 
> should I be penalised
> for wishing to switch providers mid-licence?  

This works the same way as changing any other licence agreement.
If I purchase a software licence for a Microsoft product for 1 year, and
then find I don't like it, I can change at anytime to another product which
will have a fresh licence period associated with it and perhaps different
functionality.


>  On the other hand this policy creates a significant 
> disincentive to end
> users to transfer their names to a new provider at any time 
> other than the
> end of the licence period.

End users nearly always stay with their current provider of any service
contract until the end of the current licence period.  If the service is
that bad, the cost of a domain name is unlikely to be a big issue in
changing providers.
 
Regards,
Bruce Tonkin