TLD Contracts

["Tim Holt" <holt_tm@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

To the ICANN Directors,

I am writing to express my concerns about the proposed contracts for the
.info, .biz, and .org top-level domains. I am particularly concerned about
the possible introduction of tiered pricing; given that rights-holders have
a monopoly, it is vital that this is explicitly prohibited under the terms
of contract. Failure to do this would have both financial and moral
implications. The financial implications are that the tlds would be
devalued, and their development would at least slow and almost certainly
decline. Morally, domain registrants who purchased their domain with the
reasonable expectation that they were obtaining the use of a domain at a
particular rate for years to come will have their right of access to the
domain changed after the fact. This would tarnish the image of ICANN who
allowed it to happen, and if the price hikes came in would amount to
profiteering by the registries, or to give it another name, "theft". The
contracts must be redrawn, and protection for domain-holders restored.

Yours faithfully,

Tim Holt