I am writing to oppose the removal of price caps on any of the
“legacy” TLDs, as doing so will only create a free-for-all on
limitless price increases.
Already the new GTLDs are accepted as alternative options with
price expectations that vary greatly based on the registry;
however, current registrants of older well established extensions
are expected to maintain some level of stability.
These legacy domain names, some of which have been registered for
many years, are unlike the new mess being created and owners of
these legacy names have a reasonable expectation of affordability
and stability.
The old manta goes ‘if it is not broken, you do not try and fix
it.’ The vast majority of domain owners will remain unaffected so
long as the fluctuating and exorbitant prices remain in the newer
name space; there will be plenty of years ahead for ICANN to
benefit from those while allowing stability within the legacy name
space.
Please leave well enough alone and move forward without effecting
millions and millions of current and well established registrants
who expect their domain expenses to remain reasonable, affordable
and stable.
Further more, unrestrained price increases on the millions of .org
registrants who are not-for-profits or non-profits would be unfair
to them.
Unchecked price increases have the potential to result in hundreds
of millions of dollars being transferred from these organizations
to one non-profit, the Internet Society, with .org registrants
receiving no benefit in return.
"ICANN is a not-for-profit public-benefit corporation with
participants from all over the world dedicated to keeping the
Internet secure, stable and interoperable."
ICANN is supposed to operate for the "public benefit".
Thereby, I do not believe this policy would not have any "public
benefit" at all!
Thank You
Bill Lam