February 2020 - comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20@icann.org

[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] .COM Changes
by Stefano Zapata Feb. 11, 2020

Feb. 11, 2020

Hello there I strongly disagree with all proposed changes regarding amendment 3 of the .com Registry Agreement This is a decision that should be made with more people and not just Verisign and ICANN. We should all advocate for consumer affordability and not corporate profits. Sent from my iPhone

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[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] I request that you do not increase pricing for .com registration
by Jon Gelman Feb. 11, 2020

Feb. 11, 2020

I r=write to you to request that you do not raise pricing for .COM domain registration. Your proposal for price increases will stifle business growth and place additional economic burdens on small companies. Jon L. Gelman | Attorney at Law | jon(a)gelmans.com 19 Darlington Dr., Wayne, NJ 074740-2805 m. 973.723.2084 | f. 973.807.1811

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[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] Domain charge
by larry williard Feb. 11, 2020

Feb. 11, 2020

Are you trying to make it much easier for large companies and corporations to own .com names. You re penalizing the small owner and shifting again away from people to corporations. Im against the increase in charges.

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[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] Proposed Amendment 3 to the .COM Registry Agreement
by Bess Katerinsky Feb. 11, 2020

Feb. 11, 2020

To Whom it May Concern; On January 3, 2020, ICANN announced significant changes to the contract it has with Verisign, Inc. to operate the top-level domain .COM. ICANN and Verisign made these changes in secret, without consulting or incorporating feedback from the ICANN community or Internet users. The changes to the .COM agreement will have a much bigger impact on the Internet than the previous action for .ORG, .INFO, and .BIZ domains, due to the dominance of .COM. There are 359.8 million total domain names, of which 144 million are .COM — that’s 40% of all domain names. With 161.8 million country-specific TLDs (ccTLDs), there are 198 million generic TLDs (gTLDs). That means that .COM makes up 73% of all gTLD domain names. ICANN was created in part to introduce competition between domain name registrars, but now ICANN itself is at the heart of the problem, without considering any input from Internet users on these critical decisions. There are four main concerns with ICANN’s decision: 1. Price Increases Verisign will be allowed to increase the wholesale price to registrars for .COM domains by 7% each year in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. After a two year “freeze”, Verisign can increase prices by 7% annually during 2026-2029, then another two year “freeze”. This cycle will continue, meaning that within 10 years, .COM domains could cost approximately 70% more than the current wholesale price of $7.85 — and the sky is the limit. It is not clear how much of these price increases registrars will pass along to consumers, but it is likely that most of these increases will be paid by domain name registrants. The contract does allow for other price increases for certain extraordinary situations, so it is possible prices could increase more than anticipated. 2. ICANN Will Receive an Extra $20 Million With the contract changes, Verisign agreed to pay ICANN an additional $20 million dollars over five years to support ICANN’s initiatives regarding the security and stability of the domain name system. There is no explanation why Verisign did this, how ICANN will spend the money, or who will ensure that the funds are properly spent. 3. Verisign Can Operate as a Domain Registrar ICANN also had rules that the operator of a TLD could not operate a domain name registrar. Although in 2012 ICANN allowed operators of new gTLDs to have domain name registrars, it did not apply to Verisign. The new contract will allow Verisign to operate its own registrar, except for selling .COM domain names itself. To circumvent this, it is also possible that Verisign could act as a reseller of .COM domains, through another registrar. This result is that the company that controls almost 80% of the registrar pricing for domain names will compete directly with all domain registrars, maximizing its control of domain name pricing to the detriment of other competing registrars. While this might result in lower prices to consumers, fewer registrars will harm competition, choice, and domain name services. Verisign’s registrar could also use its dominant position to charge higher prices to consumers, while at the same time raising registrar prices. 4. ICANN Ignored Previous Comments As detailed on Standing Up to ICANN to Keep Domain Prices in Check and pricecaps.org, over 3,500 comments were submitted in support of price controls for the .ORG, .INFO, and .BIZ TLDs. Only six comments supported removing price controls. ICANN discounted the comments that were in favor of maintaining price caps. A number of the comments were submitted using an online tool, which caused the comments to be discounted as “spam” by the ICANN Ombudsman. ICANN removed the price caps, primarily relying upon a biased preliminary analysis from 2009 by an economics professor that did not reference any data. As a member of the public, Internet user, and domain owner, I categorically and emphatically do not want these contract changes to occur. Please take my comments and concerns into account, as they are being submitted during the public comment period. Thank you. Sincerely, Bess Katerinsky

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[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] No to .COM increase prices
by T. L. Hanigan Feb. 11, 2020

Feb. 11, 2020

To Whom it May Concern I've received an email from Name Cheap with information about a price increase. Please do not increase .COM prices. Tangie Hanigan

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[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] Do not ratify ammendment 3
by Jeff Stieler Feb. 11, 2020

Feb. 11, 2020

While I can appreciate ICANN’s need for funding, this is a blatant money grab on the part of Verisign who will undoubtedly raise prices on .com TLDs. Perhaps there’s another way for ICANN to fundraise? You’re selling out domain owners. -Jeff

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[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] (no subject)
by Stuart Laws Feb. 11, 2020

Feb. 11, 2020

To whom it may concern. This deal has all the hallmarks of a company attempting to maintain its monopoly position at the expense of consumers by payment of a thinly-disguised bribe. There is no apparent justification for Version being given permission to increase the price of .com domains ahead of inflation in the manner agreed with ICANN, especially when it is unclear how the fee paid by Verisign will be used to improve domain infrastructure. Moreover, ICANN states that the organisation "promotes competition and develops policy on the Internet’s unique identifiers". Conducting negotiations in secret and granting a single company sole rights of administration, without consulting other interested parties, can hardly be said to be a strategy which “promotes competition”. It is quite shocking conduct of which ICANN should be ashamed. Stuart Laws

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Re: [Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] Help Us Prevent .COM Price Increases
by Yves Tcheutchoua Feb. 11, 2020

Feb. 11, 2020

Hi, I recently purchased the domain for my small business that I launched after struggling to find employment. I am passionate about building live changing products & plan to do so for the 20+ yrs. of my career. However, the message below sent by Namecheap, seem to indicate that your actions might cause a price increase for my .COM domain. I would like to prevent that from happening please, as I am already enduring several early business operational expenses. > On Feb 10, 2020, at 2:16 PM, Namecheap <support(a)namecheap.com> wrote: > > View in browser <http://mailtrackemailout1.namecheap.com/ls/click?upn=QqNWTFdMeHiLPmRAI5EzI5…> > <http://mailtrackemailout1.namecheap.com/ls/click?upn=QqNWTFdMeHiLPmRAI5EzI5…> > Help Us Avoid .COM Price Increases > > Hi there! > > We have important information <http://mailtrackemailout1.namecheap.com/ls/click?upn=QqNWTFdMeHiLPmRAI5EzI5…> to share with you that will affect the price of your .COM domains. > > 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 Namecheap 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 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. > > So, what can you do to help? > > These changes will have significant impact on the Internet for years to come, and only ICANN and Verisign have participated in this decision. If you want to make sure your voice is heard, let ICANN know how you feel about their recent decision. The Public Comment period <http://mailtrackemailout1.namecheap.com/ls/click?upn=QqNWTFdMeHiLPmRAI5EzI5…> is open until February 14, 2020. > > You can leave your comment on the .COM proposal using ICANN's form <http://mailtrackemailout1.namecheap.com/ls/click?upn=QqNWTFdMeHiLPmRAI5EzI5…>. > > Find Out More <http://mailtrackemailout1.namecheap.com/ls/click?upn=QqNWTFdMeHiLPmRAI5EzI5…> > 4600 East Washington Street, Suite 305, Phoenix, AZ 85034, USA <applewebdata://F9F7166E-B0CA-4974-BCD5-BB4E1485D6B9> > Copyright © 2020 Namecheap.com <http://mailtrackemailout1.namecheap.com/ls/click?upn=QqNWTFdMeHiLPmRAI5EzI5…> > > We are an ICANN accredited registrar. > Serving customers since 2001. >

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[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] Stop the price increase!!
by Matthew Bernier Feb. 11, 2020

Feb. 11, 2020

I don't support the price increases. - Matthew

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[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] loopholes are abusive
by Laurent L Feb. 11, 2020

Feb. 11, 2020

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