[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] new ICANN contract with Verisign

[ichiou]

To members of ICANN,

I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the new ICANN contract with Version which, from my understanding, will allow Verisign " to increase the wholesale price to registrars for .COM domains every year for 8 out of the next 10 years, and…This will mean that .COM wholesale domain prices can grow by more than 70% over and above current prices over the next decade. The contract also allows for other price increases, which could drive prices up further, ultimately making .COM domains less accessible and more expensive for everybody."
 
I also understand that ICANN will receive 20 million from Verisign over the next 5 years in exchange for allowing Verisign to raise fees in drastic measure mentioned above.  Being the sole governing body with policies and decisions that will ultimately impact what consumers will have to pay for the domain services, I am concerned about the actual details that justify this contract.  I even wonder if there is any improper or illegal reason for granting Verisign to impose rate hike in such extraordinarily manner?  I fear that ICANN becomes the new FDA and Verisign becomes the new pharmaceutical industries, and that we the consumers become the victim of unreasonable price hike!

I am here to ask ICANN to provide more details and transparency regarding this contract, and to reconsider whether ICANN has put consumers at the mercy of Verisign’s pricing power in order to receive funding from it.  I look forward to your clarification, explanation, and even reconsideration of this very important matter!

Sincerely,
I-Wei Chiou


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