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

[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] Oppose Amendment 3 to .COM Registry Agreement
by Geoff Walden Feb. 13, 2020

Feb. 13, 2020

I oppose the proposed Amendment 3 to the .COM Registry Agreement. I oppose arbitrary increases in fees for .com address registration. Geoffrey Walden Rineyville, KY USA

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[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] Fairness, please
by Mike Citarella Feb. 13, 2020

Feb. 13, 2020

I believe as a public service you should enforce fairness and safeguard against unreasonable increases. This proposed amendment does neither. Please do not allow this amendment to pass as proposed.

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[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] Proposed Amendment 3 to the .COM Registry Agreement
by Hosting Chapín Feb. 13, 2020

Feb. 13, 2020

I am associated with the secondary market in domain names. I am against the proposed price increase to .COM domains. Luis Marin Guatemala City, Departamento de Guatemala Guatemala

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[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] Comment on proposed .com wholesale cost change
by RL Hawkes Feb. 13, 2020

Feb. 13, 2020

I would like to take advantage of the opportunity to comment on the proposed amendment to the .com agreement with Verisign in order to implement the proposed 7% pa increase in wholesale registration and renewal costs over the next 4 years of a 6 year contract. While at first glance 7% may seem like a minor increase, when compounded over a number of years, the 7% increases will be substantial. The net effect will be to weaken the .com as the primary choice for domains around the world, and indirectly harm all of those who have invested in building the strength of the extension. I realize that most other TLDs are not capped but the situation for .com is quite different. Verisign did not create the .com extension, although they have been worthy stewards of it for many years. They did not take the investment risk of needing to bid and develop it like the new gTLD registries. The economies of scale of .com should make it possible for the per domain wholesale cost not to rise significantly. The contract extension was awarded without competitive bid. Most experts suggest that had it gone to competitive bid, the wholesale cost would be much less than the current cost. It is a unique situation as it could be argued that the value of a year’s .com registration might well be worth 7% more. On the other hand, holding a monopoly as caretaker of the world’s primary TLD, price increases should need to be justified on basis of need for economic viability. Having gone through Verisign financial statements, I do not think that there is any support for the need for such an increase. I therefore oppose the proposed increase. Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this matter. sincerely, Bob Bob Hawkes Domain Analyst, Investor, Writer Victoria, BC, Canada

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[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] Proposed Amendment 3 to the .COM Registry Agreement
by Duncan Sharp Feb. 13, 2020

Feb. 13, 2020

I am a registrant of a .com domain name. I am against the proposed price increase to .COM domains. Duncan Sharp Edmonds, Washington United States Duncan Sharp duncansharpfilms.com 3104802753 /c

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[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] .COM Changes
by Matthew Peters Warne Feb. 13, 2020

Feb. 13, 2020

To Whom It May Concern I am a customer of the .COM domain system. The .COM domain name enjoys a de facto "default" status that encourages most new domain names to flow through to the .COM registrar, even after the introduction of the new gTLDs and country-specific TLDs. In the same way that the .ORG domain name should be managed and reserved for the enrichment of public organizations, .COM domain name should be made freely available to all people at a relatively cheap price. As we see an ever increasing amount of entrepreneurship, we see a massive decrease in the cost of compute; if anything we should see the wholesale prices for domain names lower. This should be done to make the internet more free and open, and encourage everyone to get domain names. I love domain names, and for me I would love it if domain names proliferated to the same extent as email addresses. I make a note of ICANN's vision which is "To be a champion of the single, open, and globally interoperable Internet". I do not see how increasing the price of Domain Names, which will only increase the operating costs of small business and individuals and not affect incumbent players in all markets (which the price increase will not even be noticeable). This action is completely in opposition of this vision. Please also refer to one of ICANN's Strategic Goals: "Sustain and improve openness, inclusivity, accountability, and transparency". How are you making the system more inclusive if the cost of a .COM domain name is about eight times more than what one third of the world's population makes per day? If anything, ICANN should be focusing on reducing the wholesale .COM domain price to make it more open and available. I wholeheartedly disagree with this move to make obtaining .COM domains harder. ICANN should reconsider this decision. Regards, Matthew

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[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] Seems like a blatant money-grab
by Mark Furland Feb. 13, 2020

Feb. 13, 2020

I fail to see how anyone might benefit from this other than ICANN and Verisign? This deal was made in secret for a reason, it helps nobody else. I run a few websites that have a .com They are not for profit, I'm running them to share stuff with people. If the price goes up too far, I won't be able to do that, and I'm just one of many people doing this. Sure, I could go get a .info or something, but I've already got it setup, and it would break all existing links to it. I'm just one of many people sharing information and projects out of our own pockets. Not that I expect this comment to change anything, based on how comments were completely ignored last year on price caps for domains.

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[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] (no subject)
by Priest, Chris Feb. 13, 2020

Feb. 13, 2020

ICANN is supposed to govern the domain name system in the public interest. Do not pass this amendment. The current cost does not represent the cost of registering a domain. They are handled by automans. ICANN and the .com and all other domain need to be transparent in costs and funds. Christopher Priest Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

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[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] against price increase
by Chansin Esparza Feb. 13, 2020

Feb. 13, 2020

I am against price increases. Please do not increase the wholesale price of .com domains every year, and ignore the unified opposition of such action. Chansin Esparza

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[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] .com REGISTRY AMENDMENT
by Oracle Djoseph Feb. 13, 2020

Feb. 13, 2020

As per the news trending on the internet about an amendment to the .com registry, this is not a welcome development as there is no convincing reason for the amendment.

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[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] I am against the proposed amendments to the .COM registrar agreement with Verisign
by Marie Metelnick Feb. 13, 2020

Feb. 13, 2020

I have very real issues with the changes being proposed to ICANN's deal with Verisign. First - the price increases allowed in this proposal over the next 10 years are exorbitant, and will do a lot to discourage buying of new and old domains. Second - You are giving pricing control over .COM domains to Verisign, who can also act as a domain registrar. This gives them a unique advantage over all other domain registrars, and is against every principle of a fair marketplace I can think of. Third - Why are you getting $20million from Verisign? What is that being used for? Seems like you have just auctioned off the .COM business to the highest bidder, without having any kind of open transactions. It looks very shady and unethical from the outside. In the past, when you have had an open comment period, you have just decided to ignore any comments critical to your proposals. I strongly suggest that you take public commentary into account. ICANN only remains independent as long as governments allow it to be. Rampant corruption and bad business practice, accompanied by public outcry, will eventually attract government oversight of ICANN, and in a worst-case scenario, dissolution of the body completely. Acting in good faith now would go far to stave off any of that kind of action. Yours sincerely, Karen Metelnick Indiana, USA

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[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] price increases
by Jacqueline Lasahn Feb. 13, 2020

Feb. 13, 2020

Many individuals and sole proprietor businesses maintain websites using .COM. The changes to the .COM agreement could result in .COM domains costing approximately 70% more than the current wholesale price of $7.85. The price increase impact for individuals is ridiculous and would likely cause some to drop their .COM, leaving the internet to big businesses. I urge ICANN to consider the future of the internet and keep it accessible.

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[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] Proposed Amendment 3 to the .COM Registry Agreement
by Tony Cullather Feb. 13, 2020

Feb. 13, 2020

The propose change to prices for .com registration would allow the inflation of all other popular TLD without respect to those that are able to afford the fees. This process needs to be delayed to study the effects the increase would have on the internet environment in general.

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[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] keep it accountable
by DAW Feb. 13, 2020

Feb. 13, 2020

Thanks for taking our comments. Making changes to the registration fees that are not benefiting the users as much as those hwo adminsiter and are able to set their own fees seems to be a very shady sort of deal. These changes will have significant impact on the Internet for years to come, and only ICANN and Verisign have participated in this decision, making both very suspect at the lack of transparency and input from the many that have to pay the price of this agreement. Please reconsider and make every effort to be more open and have more input before finalizing any decision that will last for such a long time. There also needs to be clarity about how ICANN will spend the money, and who will ensure that the funds are properly spent on domain infrastructure. Please reconsider and consult and incorporate feedback from the ICANN community and Internet users. This will make a stronger proposal and give more authenticy to the process. Thank you for taking my comments, Drew Whitson

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[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] Stop .com price rise!
by April Williams Feb. 13, 2020

Feb. 13, 2020

Please stop the price change with Domain names. I teach entrepreneurship to the youth and adults. And there are many people that wish to service people in the world with their God given gifts. They need websites to reach the world. When is enough money enough for you! There are people wanting to make a honest living that are on a budget. How would you feel if all your money was taking from you one day and you had to start over from scratch. Where ever penny counted. You never know what will be your reality one day. So before you continue thinking about filling your pockets more. Think about the benefits of this world as a whole and the effects of the changes you are making! Maybe my little voice doesn't matter. But Selfish decisions have a way of coming back around! So please think again before you make these decisions. Thank you and God Bless! April

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[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] Proposed Amendment 3 to the .COM Registry Agreement
by Laith Haddad | Top Rank Domains Feb. 13, 2020

Feb. 13, 2020

ICANN, I am a domainer (I invest in domain names as a business). I am against the proposed price increase to .COM domains. No one other than Verisign want increases in .COM prices. The current rate of $7.85 is already far more than justified. Verisign is merely your manager of the .COM Registry – it has no business dictating the price. ICANN is supposed to govern the domain name system in the public interest. Kind Regards, Laith Haddad 361-TOP-RANK TopRank.Domains <http://www.toprank.domains/>

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[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] No reason to increase .com prices
by Michael Wibbeke || managed IP GmbH Feb. 13, 2020

Feb. 13, 2020

I simply see no reason why the prices for .com should be increased other than to fill the pockets of Verisign and in the end of Verisign stockholders at the expense of millions of .com registrants. What are the registrants' benefits? There is none. If the com-registry was auctioned off I am sure it could be run at even lower prices. Price increases and complexity (e.g. new gTLDs) surely does not help the domains competition with social media and other technological developments. Michael

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[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] Proposed Amendment 3
by btc2＠cngok.com Feb. 13, 2020

Feb. 13, 2020

This amendment is going to make it harder for small businesses to afford something that is a very integral part of doing business in the 21st century. The fees are already high enough, and I believe amendment 3 will negatively impact the internet as a whole.

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[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] Against Verisign price increases
by Pavel Lishin Feb. 13, 2020

Feb. 13, 2020

I don't believe that Verisign has made a very clear case for why these price increases are necessary; any arguments have apparently been offered in secret, and this has the potential to have severe negative effects on the public's access to the internet.

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[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] Maybe it is time to replace ICANN
by ds mobile Feb. 13, 2020

Feb. 13, 2020

After the sell of .org domain space and now the increase in .com domain prices maybe it is time to replace ICANN and their non-profit status as they no longer serve the public domain

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[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] Proposed Amendment 3 to the .COM Registry Agreement
by Hyper Responsive Media Feb. 13, 2020

Feb. 13, 2020

I am a registrant of a .com domain name. I am against the proposed price increase to .COM domains. No one other than Verisign want increases in .COM prices. The current rate of $7.85 is already far more than justified. Verisign is merely your manager of the .COM Registry â€“ it has no business dictating the price. ICANN is supposed to govern the domain name system in the public interest. David Gruttadaurio Evansville, Indiana United States

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[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] Morality or Profit
by Ian Ingram Feb. 13, 2020

Feb. 13, 2020

ICANN has done an excellent job at keeping a secure and stable internet. That is incredibly important, but that's not their only job. They have dropped the ball with regard to a key core value as set forth in the bylaws of ICANN: "...to promote and sustain a competitive environment in the DNS market;" & frankly they have dropped the ball on simply being a "not-for-profit public-benefit corporation"... Imagine if only one company were allowed to provide high speed internet and 1000 other companies were offering dial-up. That one company would probably be able to charge just about whatever they wanted, unless someone kept them in check. Verisign is that company; .com is high speed internet and everything else is essentially a couple crappy modems trying to connect with a crashing static of bloopy bleeps. Verisign has been on easy street for far too long. They have no real competition. Their operating costs have been going down every year for at least the last 10 years. Their total number of employees has been dropping every year for at least the last 8 years. Their net income has increased every year for at least the last 10 years. Verisign's net income per employee is over $700,000 per employee. That is more than Apple, Microsoft, Google & Facebook. Not only is Verisign ridiculously profitable with the unending gravy train that is the .com monopoly, they also appear to have ICANN firmly in their pocket. It seems Verisign can get ICANN to essentially do whatever they please. Here's an extra $20 million, dance for me ICANN, dance! So ICANN is choosing to take $4 million more per year for ICANN for five years and Verisign gets an additional ~$1 Billion in pure profit over that span. This doesn't take into account additional increases in the .com base or further price increases later on. Domain registrants will be forced to pay as migrating to some crappy gTLD just isn't a serious option. It's a shame that what appears to be weak minded and greedy individuals are in charge of keeping the public's best interest in mind. It is surprising that those on the board of ICANN don't realize that by continuing to be beholden to Verisign they are asking for more scrutiny to their systems, processes and salaries of their not-for-profit public-benefit corporation. With a few keystrokes ICANN could save millions of registrants from continued & unjustified price increases and further, they could even help to lower those set costs by allowing a competitive bid for the .com contract. They could do this with impunity as it is not only part of their intended purpose, it is the right thing to do. Yet ICANN is choosing to increase the profits of one corporation who is already wildly profitable. The new gTLD experiment has proven that .com reigns supreme. No other gTLD is even close. It has also proven that someone else could take over the .com contract and run it while remaining profitable for an amount that is ridiculously less than Verisign. If Verisign were told they had to decrease prices 30% or the .com contract would be put out for competitive bid, they would take the decrease and consider themselves lucky that they still had the contract. One thing is for sure, at some point everyone has to face the decisions they have made in life. When they close their eyes will their decisions help them rest easily, or will they go through life looking over their shoulder always wondering when karma will catch up. Verisign's coffers are stuffed already and giving them more isn't going to make the internet a more secure and stable environment no matter how you sell it. It's very clear that giving Verisign more does not benefit the public's best interest, it in fact does the opposite. There is a saying that when it is a choice between morality and profit, profit seldom loses. ICANN may line their and Verisign's pockets temporarily as a result, but what will these decisions ultimately cost them and how long can they continue before it comes crumbling down? Ian Ingram CMO Corporate 206-327-0581 ian(a)listings.com The information transmitted, including attachments, is intended only for the person(s) or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you received this in error please contact the sender and destroy any copies of this information. | 206-327-0581 | 227 Bellevue Way NE #19, Bellevue, WA 98004

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[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] proposed .com increases
by Larry Nachman Feb. 13, 2020

Feb. 13, 2020

We are very upset to hear about your closed door agreement to allow .com pricing increases. It is distressing to see that once everyone has their branding in place, that you hold them over the fire by them having to pay continual increases to keep their .com domain name. We want full disclosure on the $20 million in detail what it will be used for. In distress over yet one more internet-related thing we have to deal with her. Lawrence Nachman

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[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] ICANN & Verisign Decision: '.com's are Gateways to the Internet - Please Help Maintain the Affordability of the '.com' Domain & the Internet ecosystem as a whole!
by Kareem Cumberbatch Feb. 13, 2020

Feb. 13, 2020

Dear Special Decision Committee, This Letter & Comment will be Short, Sweet & Concise. Thank You for your Thoughtful, Diligent, Prudent & Discerning Regards. We write to please request a reconsideration on the allowance of '.com' price Increases and the decision by Verisign and any other Key Marquee Internet Players to increase Price Quotes & Services rendered! For many Small and Medium sized businesses and eventual enterprises a '.com' domain is one of their first forays and acquisitions in their venture into the Brave New World & Frontier of the Internet. Many if not most Small Businesses, Entrepreneurs & Enthusiasts alike utilize '.com's because of their: 1) Ease of Simplicity 2) Worldwide Adoption 3) Instant Recognition & Credibility 4) Diverse Accessibility in Multi-languages & Interdisciplinary Users 5) Most importantly Affordability! - Entry Low Costs. The most essential aspect of this insight is that, many e-commerce Operators are not profitable initially, sometimes, if at all. Hence Despite the lack of Revenue & Income, they still have Fixed Margin Costs that they will & must support regardless if they are Cash-flowing profitably or not. This effort is often due to the sheer love, pursuit & enjoyability and not necessarily as a result of Profit. Persons & Small Businesses will often begin with the '.com' domain and expand into the other available TLDs as their Needs, Requirements, Abilities & Solutions diversify. One domain often becomes 2, 3, 5, 10 or even 100+. However, without those first affordable First Baby Steps, many New & Existing Entrepreneurs and Enthusiasts may not ever have the opportunity to Hone their skills, Sharpen their teeth and Gain their Fledgling Wings. If Emerging Enterprises & Startup Businesses do not have that initial beneficial startup Assistance & Support; then companies such as Verisign and others will not only lose the Original & Genesis Business but also all other Residual, Recurring & Referral Income and much Larger Follow-on Residual Contracts as Business Compounding occurs and Small things become unexpected Big Things. Very Valuable Additional Streams of Income that '.com' Service Providers may not ever realize & receive if the barrier to entry is too high & Overall Sustainability is not maintained. Verisign is a very Forward Thinking, Considerate & Sustainable Company and Enterprise just as ICANN is a Diligent, Prudent & Considerate Non-Profit Organization and Regulator. We trust that the Teams & Executives on the ground directly will think Carefully of the Implications, Unintended Consequences & Ripple Effects that such a Mountainous & Avalanche decision as Price Increases to the '.com' domain would have on the Internet Ecosystem's Access, Affordability, Exponential Synergy & Sustainability as a whole. The pie is greater with many more Emerging and Creative Small, Medium & Large Enterprises, Entrepreneurs & Enthusiasts alike all having Access to the Opportunity & Chance. Such a thing may be small to much larger Corporations and just a Line item on the Expense, P/L Statement & Bottomline; but to smaller organizations and operators, who are often not sophisticated or developed enough yet to even have a P/L Financial Statement, it can make the world of a difference. A Profitable Small Business or Company is a Profitable Verisign which is also a Sustainable, Competitive & Collaborative ICANN! Thank You ICANN & Verisign for all of your Careful Re-Consideration, Small Business Friendliness & Entrepreneurial Philanthropy! (This letter was not as short as we wanted, but we indeed tried to keep it Precise!) '.com's are Gateways to the Internet - Please Help Maintain the Affordability of the '.com' Domain & the Internet ecosystem as a whole! The Very Best, Kind Regards, Kareem https://www.ameripegroup.com https://www.ameripegroup.com Kareem Cumberbatch Title : Portfolio Macro | Relationship Manager Function: Enterprise Architecture, Treasury, Investments Division : Business Development & Strategic Partnerships The AMERIPÉ Group E: mailto:kcumberbatch@ameripegroup.com P: 1 (242) 462-4446 W: https://www.ameripegroup.com A: 745 5th Ave, New York, NY 10151, USA

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[Comments-com-amendment-3-03jan20] Proposed Amendment 3 to the .COM Registry Agreement
by robert parry Feb. 13, 2020

Feb. 13, 2020

I am a registrant of a .com domain name. I am against the proposed price increase to .COM domains. The current rate of $7.85 is already far more than justified. Bob Parry Vredenburg, Western Cape South Africa

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