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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Hello
All:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>ICANN
staff continues to make progress toward a final DAG, and their continued
efforts should acknowledged. There is a lot to digest in this latest DAG,
however, one thing did jump out at me that I wanted to raise with the broader
constituency.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Under
the current unsponsored registry agreements, registries are required to provide
registrants six months notice prior to raising price. This six month
notice/safeguard was first proposed in connection the .COM registry agreement.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>It
appears that DAG 3.0 is proposing to change this requirement to 30 days notice
in connection with “new” registrations and 180 days notice for
“existing” registrations. (See full text below)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=Default style='mso-margin-top-alt:6.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:
6.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:windowtext'>The explanatory memorandum to the DAG states “This
provision was modified to shorten the notification period for price increases
related to initial registrations as suggested by community comments.”
There are two questions which I think we need to raise with staff. First,
can ICANN staff point to the community comments that they reference in connection
with initial/new registrations. I was not aware of these comments and could not
find any reference to them after conducting a quick search this morning.
However, given the sheer volume of public comments it is possible that I missed
this comment(s). Does anyone else recall this proposed change; George this is
an issue which you always closely.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=Default style='mso-margin-top-alt:6.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:
6.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:windowtext'>Second, can anyone point to the basis for staff’s
proposed change in connection with existing registration pricing. Given that
this safeguard was a hot topic in connection with the .COM registry agreement,
I think it would benefit the community to have a broader discussion on this
topic, and to understand the underlying basis of ICANN Staff recommendation.
Is this something that the broader membership agrees with? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=Default style='mso-margin-top-alt:6.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:
6.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:windowtext'>Best regards,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=Default style='mso-margin-top-alt:6.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:
6.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:windowtext'>Michael D. Palage<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><b>2.10 Pricing for Registry
Services. </b>Except as set forth in this Section 2.10, Registry<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'>Operator shall provide each
ICANN accredited registrar that has executed Registry Operator’s registry
registrar<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'>agreement advance notice of any
price increase [(net of refunds, rebates, discounts, product tying<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'>or other programs)] of no less
than thirty (30) calendar days with respect to initial domain name<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'>registrations and one hundred
eighty (180) calendar days with respect to renewal of domain name<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'>registrations, and shall offer
registrars the option to obtain domain name registration renewals at the<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'>current price (i.e. the price in
place prior to any noticed increase) for periods of one to ten years at the<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'>discretion of the registrar, but
no greater than ten years. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'>renewal of domain name
registrations, Registry Operator need only provide thirty (30) calendar days<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'>notice of any price increase if
the resulting price is less than or equal to a price for which Registry<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'>Operator provided notice within
that past twelve (12) months, and need not provide any notice of any<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'>price increase for the
imposition of the Variable Registry-Level Fee set forth in Section 6.3.
[Registry<br>
Operator shall offer all domain registration renewals at the same price, unless
the registrant agrees to a<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'>higher price at the time of the
initial registration of the domain name following clear and conspicuous<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'>disclosure of such renewal price
by Registry Operator.] Registry Operator shall provide public querybased<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>DNS lookup service for the TLD at its sole expense.<span
style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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