Re: [gnso-pednr-dt] Additional Fact Finding and Proposed Registar Survey Questions

[Alan Greenberg <alan.greenberg@xxxxxxxxx>]

After just a brief look at the questions that Michael has drafted, I 
think we need to ask two questions:
- If any particular question is answered widely, will we learn 
anything that will help up address the problem at hand, or is it 
"interesting" butt not helpful in this case (I am not passing 
judgement on the questions, just identifying what I think is a critical issue).
- Will answering the question(s) create a sufficient burden on 
registrars that we will get too few responses?
Alan

At 10/08/2009 10:42 PM, Michael D. Palage wrote:
> Hello All:
>
> Just doing some additional fact finding in connection with Tuesday's 
> PENDR Working Group call.
> On the issue of creating openness, transparency and predictability 
> for registrants with regard to recovering expired domain names, I 
> share the following information regarding divergent practices by 
> gTLD registries. I submit that these divergent practices are neither 
> a good or a bad thing, but that their existence does seem to suggest 
> the need for a predictable safety net to protect registrant interests.
> The Majority of registries .COM, .NET, .NAME, .JOBS, .INFO, .ORG, 
> .ASIA, .MOBI, .AERO, and .PRO debit the registrar of record's 
> account the renewal rate, and then give that registrar 45 days to 
> cancel the domain name and receive a credit. During this window the 
> Whois associated with this domain name will not show the original 
> expiration date, but a date one year from the expiration based upon 
> the money that was debited from the registrar's account.
> There is a minority number of registries, .BIZ, .TRAVEL, TEL and 
> .CAT that do not debit the registrar account until the end of the 45 
> day auto-renewal grace period. During this time the Whois will 
> reflect the original expiration date in the Whois.
> The .COOP registry has a 5 day grace period following expiration 
> where the domain name still appears in the zone file. After this 5 
> day grace period the domain name is removed from the zone file for 
> 40 days. Forty five days after expiration the domain name is made 
> available for re-registration.
> During the last call I suggested the need to get some data points 
> from within the registrar/reseller community.  In an effort to jump 
> start that effort, I have proposed a list of survey questions that 
> the group may wish to discuss tomorrow. I am sure some of my former 
> registrar colleagues will propose some mark-ups to these questions 
> but given the shrinking window between now and Seoul, I thought I 
> would take a first crack at this important fact gathering survey. (see below)
> I look forward to tomorrow's call and I want to thank William and 
> Tatyana for their previous posts I found them very constructive.
> Best regards,
>
> Michael
>
>
> Proposed Registrar Survey Questions:
>
> 1)  What is the registrar's practice regarding a domain name at the 
> time of expiration when the registrant gives explicit instructions 
> regarding its intention NOT to renew the domain names? (i.e. does 
> the registrar process and delete command, does the registrar change 
> the whois prior to expiration, does the registrar allow the domain 
> name to auto-renew in those registries that employ that policy, etc.)
> 2)  What is the registrar's practice regarding a domain name at the 
> time of expiration when the registrant is silent regarding its 
> intention to renew a domain name? (i.e. does the registrar process 
> and delete command, does the registrar change the whois prior to 
> expiration, does the registrar allow the domain name to auto-renew 
> in those registries that employ that policy, etc.)
> 3)  Does the registrar affirmatively change any of the underlying 
> Whois data associated with the domain name in or around the time of 
> expiration? (yes/no)
> 4)  Does the registrar of record have any contractual terms in the 
> original registration agreement regarding the treatment of the 
> domain name registration service contract at the time of expiration? 
> If so what are they?
> 5)  If the registrar changes the Whois data at the time of 
> expiration is that practice dependent upon the TLD (i.e. auto-renew 
> v.s. non-auto-renew) or is the change in underlying Whois data the 
> same regardless of the TLD?
> 6)  Does the registrar or any affiliate offer any value added 
> services regarding the sale/auction of domain names after their date 
> of original expiration, if so what are those services?
> 7)  Does the registrar or any affiliate provide any revenue share 
> opportunities in connection with any revenue recognized in 
> connection with the value added services with the registrant prior 
> to expiration? If so what are they?
> 8)  Does the registrar or affiliate provide the registrant prior to 
> expiration the right to remove a name from this value added service offering?
> 9)  What is the cost to the registrant to recover/renew a domain 
> name during the Registry Redemption Grace Period? (Note in providing 
> this cost do not include the registry cost component which may vary 
> per TLD, only provide the registrar mark-up?) Is this mark-up the 
> same across all TLDs, or does it vary from TLD to TLD? How many of 
> your domain name registrants pay this fee on an annual basis?
> 10)What is the cost to the registrant to recover/renew a domain name 
> post expiration but prior to the imposition of any Registry 
> Redemption Grace Period. (Note in providing this cost do not include 
> the registry cost component which may vary per TLD, only provide the 
> registrar mark-up?) Is this mark-up the same across all TLDs, or 
> does it vary from TLD to TLD? How many of your domain name 
> registrants pay this fee on an annual basis?
> 11)Aside from these two recovery/renewal windows does the registrar 
> impose any fees on a registrant other than a regular renewal price 
> to renew/re-register the domain name? If so what are? How many of 
> your domain name registrants pay this additional fee on an annual basis?
> 12)Does the registrar or affiliate provide the registrant the 
> ability to renew/re-register a domain name once it has entered an 
> auction process? If so what are the costs imposed on the registrant?
> 13)Are participants in registrar or affiliates auction apprised of 
> the registrant's rights to renew/re-register a domain name during 
> the auction? If so how and what are the terms of that notification?
> 14)For those registrars or their affiliates that provide auction 
> services with the ability of the registrant to renew/re-register a 
> name, what number of registrants have exercised that right?
> 15)What percentage of the overall gTLD market does the registrar 
> responding to this questionnaire represent?
> 16)Is the registrar responding to this questionnaire part of a 
> family of registrars sharing common ownership?