[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] Re Verisign and ICANN agreement

[Bernie Esau]

Over the years I have had numerous .COM domains and enjoyed the fact that there is a consistent and stable pricing. For years it was 9 dollars and those were the best years. Now I pay 12 ish. Back then we could buy many domains experiment with them change them out even while we were poor college kids. But now…not so much many sell it for too much.

It has come to my attention that the price caps that have made the internet great over the last years has been removed.  This is horrible news.  In effect now there will be massive discrimination against the small and micro companies and persons who own dot com domains.  Along with the monopolistic nature of the Versign agreement which will allow Verisign to act as a domain registrar thereby controlling 80% of the registrar pricing.  It is very scary to think that I  and my clients will have to pay huge amounts for  the simple banal but always necessary  .COM domains. 

This deal and its entire agreement should be put publicly for public reading by all.   If I see this deal go through and the prices do go up each year I will l very much look for political help from my congressman in the regulation of all domains sold in the US and any international domain what has or wants to have access Stateside through the US  congress.  

Harm. Price increases will require many of us to drop all but the most necessary domains and encourage many to go for alternative TLDs since they will cost about the same.  We all have limited budgets as to what we will pay for Domains.  The lack of price stability will very much harm me and my clients and therefore business.  I am convinced that the .COM Domains should be price controlled being they are absolutely required for any internet presence in 2020 and beyond. 

 Bare minimum pricing of domain names should remain a bedrock for the free internet along with free or almost free web hosting and Free SSL ( no one should be charged to have basic internet and security ). Internet is really about more than just commerce its about freedom and free speech freedom of expression.  Its about freedom of the common man to be able to participate in the future.


Bernie Esau
bernie at bespeaktech.com



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