[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] Verisign and ICANN deal is a bum deal for me
Jerry Hammack
jer at jerryhammack.com
Tue Feb 11 13:48:08 UTC 2020
To whom it may concern,
Last month, you announced significant changes to the contract you have
with Verisign, Inc. who operate the .COM top-level-domain (TLD).
These changes were made in secret, without consulting or incorporating
feedback from the ICANN community or Internet users. It appears these
changes will harm our consumers given that .COM domains make up 40% of
all registered domain names online.
Allowing Verisign to increase the wholesale price to registrars for .COM
domains every year for 8 out of the next 10 years means that .COM
wholesale domain prices can grow by more than 70% over and above current
prices over the next decade. These costs will have to be borne by
consumers in the end. That means me. And for what?
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.
It is alarming that alongside these contract changes, Verisign will pay
ICANN an additional $20 million dollars over five years to support
ICANN'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.
These changes will have significant impact on the Internet and my small
business for years to come. You have not consulted your .COM customers
at all prior to making this deal, which will have a huge, negative
impact on numerous businesses.
Please reconsider this deal, the price increases that are bound to be
passed to consumers, and do the right thing for the Internet community
by striking a balance between profit and service. Don't be greedy and
don't allow Verisign to be either.
Sincerely,
Jerry Hammack
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Jerry Hammack
a: 25 The Esplanade, Suite 1704
Toronto, ON, Canada M5E 1W5
p: 416-977-8503
c: 416-400-7630
e: jer at jerryhammack.com
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