[Comments-org-renewal-18mar19] Maintain the Guardrail

[Jay Chapman]

The purpose of the price guardrail is more relevant than ever today - when
current organizations utilizing .org are folks with longstanding online
brand, identity, and/or location via their .org domain names.  It's a deep,
intrinsic value.  Like other legacy domains, a .org domain name is hardly
an easy-come/easy-go commodity service such as deciding who your mobile
phone provider is every couple of years.  These domains are people's
pre-existing property.

Countless people work on the ground with, support and volunteer for small
businesses and organizations - hardworking ones with worthy missions, whose
hearts are large and budgets are not.  The thought that cost concerns might
be mitigated by locking in present rates for 10 years might lessen an
immediate sting, but substantively kicks the can down the road, and could
be a huge issue regardless of when.

While possible that the registry might not raise prices, people and
attitudes within the registry (board, management and/or operators) might
change.  And without guardrails, a registrant/business/organization's
online identity, brand and/or location could be thrust into chaos in short
order.  For an organization who's goal is stability, reliability and
security, ICANN should avoid such a tumultuous prospect.  ICANN's critical
responsibility as overseers suggests it avoid taking precarious bets on
behalf of registrants/businesses/organizations (and the exponential number
of beneficiaries of those organizations).

The fact that the .org registry has had the opportunity to raise prices up
to 10% per year but has not always done so is, indeed, admirable - and it
is also another strong indicator why the guardrail should stay in place.
Clearly, the registry works quite well within its current structure.

Ultimately, the existing pricing structure for the .org registry (and the
other legacy tlds) is a necessary guardrail - it protects the public,
registrants, the registries and the internet as a whole - including ICANN
itself and the community.  It provides stability and security.  It aligns
with ICANN's mission.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Jay Chapman
Digimedia.com, L.P.
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