<html><head><style>body{font-family:Helvetica,Arial;font-size:13px}</style></head><body><div style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial;font-size:13px; "><div style="margin: 0px;">Dear ICANN,</div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br></div><div style="margin: 0px;">I am very concerned that ICANN appears to be rubber-stamping a major rise in .com prices. </div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br></div><div style="margin: 0px;">There does not appear to be any justification for raising prices. No economic study has been undertaken by ICANN to demonstrate that Verisign needs any more money or that there is some other public interest in raising prices. The price increase appears to be purely a money-grab by an already handsomely paid company. That means only its shareholders stand to benefit from the increased price, not the public.</div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br></div><div style="margin: 0px;">Moreover, the $20 million that Verisign is paying ICANN in exchange for a price increase worth billions is embarrassing. Not only is it a paltry sum compared to the windfall that ICANN is bestowing upon Verisign, but it appears to be a quid pro quo despite protestations otherwise. Such conduct makes ICANN look very bad and raises serious questions about whether ICANN can be trusted to look after the public interest.</div></div><div class="bloop_container"><div class="bloop_frame"> </div></div><div><br></div>Sincerely,<div><br><div class="gmail_signature"><div style="font-family:helvetica,arial;font-size:13px">-- <br>Pierre Sottas<br>Ch. des Chenevières 18</div><div style="font-family:helvetica,arial;font-size:13px">CH-1071 Chexbres</div><div style="font-family:helvetica,arial;font-size:13px">Switzerland</div><div style="font-family:helvetica,arial;font-size:13px"><a href="mailto:pierre.sottas@gmail.com">pierre.sottas@gmail.com</a></div><div style="font-family:helvetica,arial;font-size:13px">+41 76 679 70 35</div></div></div></body></html>