[registrars] Comment Period On .biz/.info/.org Agreements

["John Berryhill" <john@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The comment period expires on Monday:  

http://www.icann.org/announcements/announcement-2-28jul06.htm

Network Solutions has posted some well-considered comments here:

http://forum.icann.org/lists/biz-tld-agreement/msg00022.html

>The existing .org, .biz and .info registry agreements contain 
>pricing controls on registry services that the proposed renewals 
>would lift, without explanation or analysis.  Instead, ICANN 
>staff merely asserts that the proposed lifting of these price 
>controls came after "extensive consideration and discussion."

Oddly, pricing structure was a consideration in the initial proposals for
.biz and .info.

If, acting on behalf of a community of stakeholders, ICANN periodically puts
these contracts out for re-bid, an agreed price in a contract is not a
"price control", but merely the contracted price for the services offered.
Buying into the rhetorical device of calling a contract price a "price
control" is an implicit acceptance of the manner in which the discussion has
been subtly re-framed.


John B. Berryhill