[ale] Fwd: ICANN and Verisign .com deal

[Steven A. DuChene]

I thought this would be of interest to folks on the ALE list as well.
This is from a posting made to the Phoenix Linux Users Group
mailing list.
--
Steve

-----Forwarded Message-----
>From: Steve Phariss <swp at azreports.com>
>Sent: Mar 14, 2006 10:44 AM
>To: plug-discuss at lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
>Subject: ICANN and Verisign .com deal
>
>
>I just learned that ICANN and verisign have penned a deal giving verisign
>a sweetheart deal for .com registrations.  This deal is still subject to
>the Commerce department approval. Here is the letter I sent (hard copy and
>via the online forms) to my representatives:
>
>____________________________________________________________________________
>
>Dear __________:
>
>I am amazed and disheartened about the recently approved .COM registry
>agreement and settlement between ICANN and VeriSign. This agreement is
>anti-competitive and bad for consumers, small business, and the Internet
>community as a whole.
>
>The agreement provides VeriSign with the ability to increase prices by 7%
>annually in four of the next six years without cost justification.
>Furthermore, under the agreement, VeriSign's monopoly would run in
>perpetuity as the agreement would automatically renew without the
>opportunity for competitive bidding. VeriSign and ICANN should not be
>allowed to establish a perpetual monopoly without Congressional oversight
>and the opportunity for input from the Internet community.
>
>Verisign has also, in the past, proven that they do not care about the
>well being of the internet.  In September of 2003, verisign "commandeered"
>all misspelled and non-existant URL's.  See this link to the original
>advisory. http://www.icann.org/announcements/advisory-19sep03.htm
>
>Verisign was forced to back down, however they have made several attempts
>to reintroduce this "service".  My question is simple, should a monopoly
>be allowed to be granted to a company with a proven track record of
>disdain for the industry they purport to represent?
>
>As your constituent, I want to make you aware that the ICANN Board has
>approved this anti-competitive agreement on February 28th, 2006. The next
>step is for the NTIA to approve the deal. I urge you to bring our concerns
>to the attention of the NTIA.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>--
>Benjamin Franklin once wrote, "Those who would give up essential Liberties
>for a measure of Security, deserve neither Liberty nor Security!"
>
>---------------------------------------------------
>PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss at lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
>To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change  you mail settings:
>http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss