.info Changes in renewal process for .biz .info .org

[tomsa]

Hi NPers

Here's an annoucement from ICANN about some possibles changes in the renwal process of .bi .info and .org

http://www.icann.org/announcements/announcement-2-28jul06.htm

I don't know if that has been discussed here before.
What do you think about it ?

 

[verbster]

I just got this e-mail from parked<dot>com (exact quote):


ICANN is about to renew the .org, .biz, and .info registry contracts
with a HUGE loophole to allow each registry to charge different
scaled pricing on a per-domain basis and to provide each registry
with a presumptive perpetual monopoly. This means your best domains
may very soon cost you thousands (or more) per year in renewal fees.
We need your help to halt the approval of these contract proposals.
Everyone who owns a domain and cares about its value should post a
comment TODAY to:

http://www.icann.org/announcements/announcement-2-28jul06.htm

Its easy: Just email your comments to each of the three following
email addresses:

[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected]
and then approve the email links they respond with.

The comment period will remain open until 5:00 PM PDT, August 28,
2006. THAT'S TODAY! The comments will be submitted to the ICANN Board
of Directors for the Board to consider at its meeting on September 13,
2006.

If Registries can set "market prices" for each .biz, .info, .org
domain name (ie. $500 or $1 million per year for cars.org or
Google.org etc.. ), then ICANN will have to provide Verisign the same
terms for .com and .net in 2012. ALL of your businesses could be in
serious jeopardy. So we all have a vested interest in this not
happening.

If you CHOOSE to remain silent the fallout will jeopardize all of our
futures. We need your help. Please take a moment to read the comments
others have posted, then create one of your own and mail it off.
http://forum.icann.org/lists/biz-tld-agreement
http://forum.icann.org/lists/info-tld-agreement
http://forum.icann.org/lists/org-tld-agreement

 

[Sir Regalot]

The internet as we now know it will become history.

 

[faisj]

Do you think the ICANN will listen to us?

 

[angisson]

mabe mabe not, I sent them a message.. who knows.. it may never hurt

 

[verbster]

Here's the paragraph from the ICANN proposal. They must know prices will rise because they included the caveat that registrars must give the domain holders six months advance notice of price increases.

"Lifting of Price Controls on Registry Services. Following extensive consideration and discussion, each of the proposed new .BIZ, .INFO and .ORG registry agreements provide for the lifting of price controls formerly imposed on the pricing of registry services. However, in order to protect incumbent domain name registrants and allow time for planning by those in the registry and registrar communities, the form of registry-registrar agreement proposed with each of the new registry agreements requires six months advance notice by the registry operator of any price increase in registry services. This is consistent with the notice period required under the registry-registrar agreement implemented with the 2005 .NET registry agreement, and the registry-registrar agreement included with the proposed new .COM registry agreement."

Even so, it sort of seems if a registrar monitors a domain you own, and likes the hits or potential sales value, they can give you notice that the renewal fee is $xx,xxx, so you can't renew it. That leaves the option of transferring, but what a mess. Seems like they will be able to manipulate the prices enough to gain control of domains at times and send them to their own auctions or whatever.

Then again, maybe competition will keep prices low....but it sure makes me think hard about why info domains are being given away now...big renewal fees to come?

There is a great string on this in the Industry News section of NP. Please visit it and send in your letters.