defaultuser

I believe .com prices ARE mostly rock solid because you can't change history once mass adoption tipping point is reached. Same with the other .TLDs
????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/dot-tv/737628-talk-tv-40-000-a.html

Differences do exist. .XXX and future .TLDs will all be private businesses - I doubt anyone will sign for a TLD if ICANN Is overly restrictive on pricing mechanics. Prices will be reflective of that business bottom line.

The difference with .TV and .CO (to a lesser extent) is that they are independent of the marketplace and are in desperate need to understand the market dynamics. So the risk is 100% relative to the quality of advice they are given. They deserve to make money as Govt selling a resource - but they need help to avoid blowing it up.

I firmly believe that changing premium pricing model is one thing and they have done it. One time up front fees makes sense.. but reversing the process to something more cost prohibitive is something else (and they simply cannot afford to do it). The competition from other TLDs will destroy them. I hope they get the advice.

"Grandfathering" is something exists in just about every market/tax model in the free world. Taxes, in Germany, for example are not always applied retroactively - I see the same thing here as being the only potential issue... new premium pricing with current holders grandfathered in.

It's all speculation but it's the same speculation I would expect for .co, .xxx etc. Not sure how much people trust the Colombian government, Samoa, Somalia, Cameroon, Montenegro or any other ccTLD.

Open contracts ARE a concern. They should always be considered. Its the risk evaluation that changes and I don't see a huge risk at all.

Reality is that Tuvalu doesn't have a whole lot of leverage - they need a vendor and no vendor is going to engage in a partnership where they lose money. Tuvalu is far more subservient to the market than people make out - they need Verisign (or others) more than Verisign needs them.

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equity78

Excellent post John, and Greg makes a fair point too.

Can Tuvalu lose their mind and raise prices 5x ? Sure.

But they will be the loser,whether you like the new tlds coming out or not, they will provide some cool and interesting choices. Where before all these new tlds and before some cctld were repurposed like ME and CO. TV stood alone as the cool,brandable, super niche extension play.

The point you made about Verisign is the #1 point, Tuvalu needs Verisign more than Verisign needs Tuvalu.

I hope Tuvalu makes a fortune, but they need to be reasonable and understand there is a lot more competition than when they signed this contract with Verisign.

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Looks like there going to develop it www.talk.tv

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eyedomainous

I'm not sure this is true anymore...

as Verisign is the one actually facing much more competition now, from cloud computing.
????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/showthread.php?t=737628

The Amazon cloud could run the .TV registry and Tuvalu could outsource, or import, any (additional) tech talent needed.

This would give Tuvalu almost complete control, at cheap pay-as-you-go rates. They could charge less money yet make much more profit... and 'contract' issues hampering the extension would end.

Besides, who needs a business partner that won't show you the books?

defaultuser

All I was saying is that Tuvalu needs to outsource the management of the services. They need a service provider more than the service provider needs them. Even in your discussion you are relying on a third party (when you have reliance - the cost usually does go up ;-) )

Verisign operates in two markets. I see how one is affected by cloud computing but not the other. The other is naming services. The cloud provides an infrastructure but not a service - I don't see how they are related.


The Amazon cloud is going to manage the root files, DNS root servers ? The amazon cloud is going to provide the ability to connect and interact with all of the internet with zero downtime, advanced security (logical and physical) and adhere to all regulations national/international?

Seriously? You want to run a registry from a service provider with some "tech talent"?

No legal talent? No marketing talent? No infrastructure talent (maybe that's tech)?


Pay as you go ? I'll be willing to bet that just about every new TLD coming down the line will outsource to a company providing REGISTRY services. Those companies MAY harness some cloud infrastructure. The current contract is probably based in part on pay-as-you-go. If no .TV is registered Verisign probably makes very little (speculation on my part here).
????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/showthread.php?t=737628

I buy services on a daily basis without knowing what the markup is. The point I was making was that Tuvalu needs PROPER advice on what is a decent deal for what they are offering. On the one hand the registry makes too much... on the other they kill off their offering... They need help to understand the sweet spot.
????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/showthread.php?t=737628

I've worked for large companies - trust me, they don't tell you how much they are making from you as part of their outsourcing business. It's more than most companies would like to know and a lot less when the negotiation went south .. but then you just drop the contract.

No idea what his has to do with Talk.TV which was a good sale.

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eyedomainous

1). I know what you meant, and I agree. I quoted Ray who left out that point.

2). There is only one .TV, service providers are a dime a dozen, so to speak. Come contract renewal time Tuvalu will likely pick from a pool of providers.

3). Outsourcing is done because its cheaper than doing it in-house. Also, Tuvalu may well have some techies up to the job... I don't know. You speak as if you know managing a registry is beyond their abilities.



SaaS (Software as a Service) handles the Naming Services et al. Whats more, Open Source software, with tech support, will get the job done. The software that runs the New Zealand (.NZ) Registry was open-sourced in 2004.
????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/showthread.php?t=737628
Domain Name Registry System - dnrs.net.nz

Or, they could go the pay route and use services from VeriSign level service providers like SUN, or others that provide full spectrum Naming Services.


Your speaking as a customer, then as a contractor. I was clearly speaking as a BUSINESS PARTNER... with a profit sharing agreement. Now, if you had one of those, are you saying you would not expect to see the books, from the provider who takes in the money, for a business property you OWN?


Talk.TV was a good sale... and we are Talking .TV.

defaultuser

It's fairly specialized and I imagine that Verisign, Neustar et al will be at the top of the list. They will have a profit margin in mind which if not met will allow them to drop out. I doubt they will operate on wire thin margins.

Total population 10,000 ish. GDP < $50 million. I'm thinking that Tuvalu doesn't have many data center or cloud or dns experts.

Not aware of this - it's interesting and I will look into it more. Of course it doesn't handle the marketing, legal, jurisdictional requirements

Technically, I guess you could run most of a registry with a pencil and a pc of paper and a few emails. I was presuming they would want the same current modern infrastructure that allows premium pricing and multiple registrars with automated everything.

I thought Verisign was leasing .TV and paid for that. If there is a profit sharing element I would expect the books to be open. I haven't heard or read that they weren't.
????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/showthread.php?t=737628

But missing the point of the OP.

I don't think there is a huge pricing issue or ownership issue coming in 2016 because regardless of how Tuvalu manages the infrastructure the pricing has to be friendly enough to end users to remain competitive in a competitive environment. They are dependent on this money income - it's significant to them
????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/showthread.php?t=737628

Thanks for the link on .nz :-)

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It's not much of a development throwing up a few Amazon affiliate links to books by Oprah & Ellen, etc.

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