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--></style></head><body lang=EN-GB link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt'>I write to express disgust at the agreement signed between ICANN and Verisign to allow annual prices increases for the registration of .COM domain names.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt'>Verisign already holds a near monopoly on the sale of high-level domain names to registrars and I do not believe that ICANN should be operating to conduct back-door-deals with Verisign to further line its coffers. If price increases are necessary for reasons other than pure profit, put these reasons out there before providing contractual guarantees to Verisign and let them stand the test of public scrutiny.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt'>Further, the whole domain registration process is farcical and unfair to many users. It is now almost impossible to find a .COM name that is not already registered, a great many issued to parties that have no intention of ever using them that only want to make others to pay exorbitant fees to obtain them. I believe that ICANN should enforce the release of high-level domain names that have not been actively used by a registrant within a specified number of years – 3, 4, or 5 years. I believe that a great many of these sleeping domain names must be registered by the registrars, themselves, or their proxies, as this would result in significant financial loss if they were to be paying the same fees as third parties.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt'>Faithfully yours,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt'>John Chisholm, PhD<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></body></html>