[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] .COM cost increases

[Marc Parsons]

I am writing to voice my concern at the proposed changes and potential cost increases in .com registrations for domain users.

I would ask that there be full disclosure as to what the $20M increase in payment to ICANN is to be used for, and why the annual cost increases in existing domain prices are required?

It would see a public comment period and full disclosure is warranted for what is arguable the management of the “public domain”.

Thank you,



Marc Parsons





What's happening?

Last month, ICANN, the organization that oversees domain names, announced significant changes to the contract it has with Verisign, Inc. who operate the .COM top-level-domain (TLD).

ICANN made these changes in secret, without consulting or incorporating feedback from the ICANN community or Internet users. Although ICANN has a history of making similar deals behind closed doors, and also of ignoring unified opposition against such action, we are focused on leading the fight against price increases that will harm our customers (and the Internet as a whole). This is a crucial time to raise our voices given that .COM domains make up 40% of all registered domain names online.

What does this change mean?

Wholesale registries charge providers a set fee per domain name per year. According to this new agreement, Verisign will be allowed to increase the wholesale price to registrars for .COM domains every year for 8 out of the next 10 years, and the increases don’t stop there.

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.

Why is ICANN doing this?

Alongside these contract changes, Verisign agreed to pay ICANN an additional $20 million dollars over five years to supportICANN's domain name system initiatives, without any clarity about how ICANN will spend the money, or who will ensure that the funds are properly spent on domain infrastructure.



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