ICANN confirms: Tiered (.tv style) pricing would not be forbidden in .biz/info/org

[beatz]

Another good worded statement here:

http://forum.icann.org/lists/org-tld.../msg00653.html

[carlton]

Another good worded statement here:

http://forum.icann.org/lists/org-tld.../msg00653.html

It is good. Writer makes a terrific point ...

First, and most importantly,these price caps act as an important protection for consumers who have developed significant brand equity in their existing domain names. Allowing a registry to raise the fee on a popular domain that has built a business around Internet traffic associated with a domain name allows the registry operator to rob the registrant of the equity that they have built in the name.

[DomeBase]

Information and commentary on the proposed ICANN-Registry contracts are scattered across multiple locations, so I thought I would try to put together a "one-stop-shopping" list of links to some of the sources -- at least those publicly accessible.

=============================================

Memorandom of Understanding Between The U.S. Department of Commerce and ICANN:
> http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/dom...memorandum.htm

(June, 2006)
Proposed agreements (ICANN Registry contracts) for .BIZ, .INFO, and .ORG:
> http://www.icann.org/tlds/agreements...mt-28jul06.pdf
> http://www.icann.org/tlds/agreements...mt-28jul06.pdf
> http://www.icann.org/tlds/agreements...mt-28jul06.pdf
Letter from NeuLevel about their getting unlimited pricing power from ICANN and increasing their payments to ICANN
> http://www.icannwiki.org/Open_Letter....BIZ_Agreement

(July 31, 2006)
Karl Auerbach comments on ICANN and Presumptive Renewal
> http://www.cavebear.com/cbblog-archives/000263.html

(July - August, 2006)
ICANN's main menu page for comments on proposed .BIZ, .INFO AND .ORG gTLD Registry Agreements:
> http://www.icann.org/announcements/a...-2-28jul06.htm
Comments on the agreements during the period for public comments:
> http://forum.icann.org/lists/biz-tld-agreement
> http://forum.icann.org/lists/info-tld-agreement
> http://forum.icann.org/lists/org-tld-agreement

(August 3, 2006)
ICANN Policy Development. GNSO Prelim Task Force Report: Contractual Conditions: TLDs:
> http://gnso.icann.org/issues/gtld-po...dp-03aug06.pdf

(August 22, 2006)
Early in-depth post by George Kirikos:
> http://forum.icann.org/lists/org-tld.../msg00004.html
Early in-depth post by Frank Schilling:
> http://forum.icann.org/lists/info-tl.../msg00006.html

(August 23, 2006)
More early posts by Kirikos:
> http://forum.icann.org/lists/info-tl.../msg00010.html
> http://forum.icann.org/lists/org-tld.../msg00014.html
Circle ID article on Contracts by George Kirikos
> http://www.circleid.com/posts/icann_...nfo_org_domain
Early short, but powerful, post:
> http://forum.icann.org/lists/info-tl.../msg00011.html

(August 24, 2006)
Network Solutions opposes renewal at this time:
> http://forum.icann.org/lists/biz-tld.../msg00022.html
Satire on the subject:
> http://forum.icann.org/lists/info-tl.../msg00023.html

(August 25, 2006)
Some highlighted comments out of many hundred:
> http://forum.icann.org/lists/info-tl.../msg00041.html
> http://forum.icann.org/lists/info-tl.../msg00052.html
> http://forum.icann.org/lists/info-tl.../msg00055.html
GoDaddy opposes agreements:
> http://forum.icann.org/lists/info-tl.../msg00060.html
Economic perspective on effects on wealth redistribution and health of TLDs:
> http://forum.icann.org/lists/info-tl.../msg00064.html (disclosure: mine)

(August 26, 2006)
UK News: Tiered pricing coming to top-level domain names?
> http://www.lse.co.uk/ShowStory.asp?s...l_domain_names
Effect of Trademark Value on Domain Specific Pricing?
> http://forum.icann.org/lists/info-tl.../msg00074.html (disclosure: mine)

(August 27, 2006)
.COM Registry (VeriSign) supports agreements without price caps:
> http://forum.icann.org/lists/biz-tld.../msg00106.html

(August 28, 2006)
.JOBS Registry supports agreements:
> http://forum.icann.org/lists/org-tld.../msg00283.html
One of only a handful of posts (see Registries .COM and .JOBs above) in support of tiered pricing:
> http://forum.icann.org/lists/info-tl.../msg00595.html
Intellectual Property Constituency comments on agreements (concern about IP issues):
> http://forum.icann.org/lists/info-tl.../msg00370.html
> http://forum.icann.org/lists/info-tl...eetRl1GhPL.doc
Comments on economic effects of agreements:
> http://forum.icann.org/lists/info-tl.../msg00181.html
Comments from IREIT to ICANN Regarding Proposed GTLD Registry Agreements
> http://www.internetreit.com/news.pr.php?i=27
Satirical commentary: trademark and value extraction issues (disclosure: mine)
> http://www.dnjournal.com/deardomey.htm
WebmasterWorld runs an "action alert" on the subject:
> http://www.webmasterworld.com/domain_names/3063245.htm
Comments on relationship of agreement to ICANN "core values":
> http://forum.icann.org/lists/info-tl.../msg00362.html
Blog -- "Domain name madness":
> http://kenmccarthy.blogs.com/ken_mcc..._name_mad.html

(August 29, 2006)
IREIT Press Release on the subject:
> http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060829/datu042.html?.v=62

(August 30, 2006)
Michael Palage proposes compromise contract terms for tiered pricing.
> http://www.circleid.com/posts/tiered...ing_compromise

(August 31, 2006)
Ongoing discussion of proposed contract structure and negotiations:
> http://gnso.icann.org/mailing-lists/.../msg04526.html
> http://gnso.icann.org/mailing-lists/.../ga/index.html

(September 5, 2006)
ICANN Board meeting to discuss this moved forward from Sept. 13th to Sept. 7th
> http://www.icann.org/minutes/
> http://gnso.icann.org/mailing-lists/.../msg04591.html
Petition to Members of Congress concerning contracts
> http://www.BadForBusiness.org
Extremely well-written opposition comments by ICANN ISPCP Constituency:
> http://forum.icann.org/lists/biz-tld.../msg00887.html

[DomeBase]

above updated

[Acro]

"moved forward from Sept. 13th to Sept. 7th"

Are they getting ready to pull the rug from under our feet? Because there is no other explanation for the rush-rush / hush-hush approach.

[DomeBase]

"moved forward from Sept. 13th to Sept. 7th"
Are they getting ready to pull the rug from under our feet? Because there is no other explanation for the rush-rush / hush-hush approach.

I do not know. However, I do no know that if we wish to send a signal, that we need to act fast. The fellow who put this up did a good job. I would encourage you to look at it sooner rather than later.
http://www.BadForBusiness.org

[GeorgeK]

Supposedly, the meeting was advanced by a week in order to meet some IPv6 policy deadlines. But, it wouldn't surprise me if they use the opportunity to approve the contracts before others can react.

[DomeBase]

Again, time is running out. ICANN meets on Sept. 7th. Please read and consider signing the petition -- http://www.BadForBusiness.org

By the way, here's what Network Solutions (pause for emphasis... Network Solutions...) went on record saying about these contracts --

"On behalf of Network Solutions, LLC, I am writing to raise several concerns with the proposed registry agreements to operate the .biz, .info and .org registries. ...... The existing .org, .biz and .info registry agreements contain pricing controls on registry services that the proposed renewals would lift, without explanation or analysis. Instead, ICANN staff merely asserts that the proposed lifting of these price controls came after 'extensive consideration and discussion.' Furthermore, it is unclear whether or not the proposed contracts permit differential pricing by domain name. Unfortunately, to date there has been no public consideration and discussion of these important policy issues regarding pricing for gTLD registries. ICANN staff has not provided any policy analysis or rationale for the lifting of the price caps, nor any evidence that external experts have been consulted to arrive at the conclusion that such pricing controls should be lifted or the economic and competition implications of pricing controls." http://forum.icann.org/lists/biz-tld.../msg00022.html