Good morning,

I find it appalling that none of us in the startup and internet community were consulted about these price changes and new deal with Verisign. Young companies across the globe depend on the .com TLD to access international markets and legitimize their businesses. We are not seeing the same traction and prestige with other TLDs, and therefore .com is the only choice for properly positioning our businesses.

Such price increases may seem small in your context, but already the domains are expensive to users across the globe. If you convert the price to Indian rupees, South African Rands or Kenyan Shillings, you’ll find that this price increase will put strain on young entrepreneurs trying to establish themselves.

Entrepreneurship is the backbone of this globalized economy, and your plans will harm that. I would not have been able to start and grow my first two businesses at age 23 without affordable access to .com TLDs, and I am certain that a price increase will hamstring young entrepreneurs with very few resources like myself.

I urge you to reconsider this change and to implement a process for discussion with all companies, stakeholders and users in the domain service sphere.

Best regards,

Tumi Lengoasa