Opposition to the proposed .org TLD agreement

["NetMidWest Hosting" <contact@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

To: ICANN Board of Directors

Dear Sirs,

I fully oppose the proposed registry agreement for the .org TLD as it lifts the 
price controls on the operators of TLD registries. This creates a situation in 
which price increases will make those in lesser economic powered countries will 
have a mounting barrier to starting and continuing websites. The lack of price 
controls on .tv domain names has already made it the most expensive domain to 
register. While I fully support Tuvalu's right to a country specific tld, I 
doubt even their own citizens can afford to register such a domain.

Further, the major TLD registry operators have publicly stated here: 
http://www.gtldregistries.org/news/2006/2006-02-20-01 (within the opposition to 
the Verisign Settlement statement) that ICANN should not be the regulatory body 
for domain names, and that they would rather deal with the court systems, 
anti-trust lawsuits, and legislation imposed by multiple governments. This only 
widens the economic divide as the courts in various jurisdictions may decide 
differently and move at different speeds, not to mention the corruption that 
many third world country's court systems and governments are known to harbor.

This proposed agreement sets a dangerous precedent for other TLDs in the 
future. The abuses by Verisign and the signing of that Opposition Statement 
show that TLD registry operators are in agreement and that controls should be 
in place universally to avoid damage to the domain naming system.

Further, the lifting of price controls on the .org TLD will cause hardship and 
economic barriers to many charities and non-profit organizations.

In 1986 it became obvious to me that what would eventually become the internet 
could also be the Great Economic Equalizer.
To deregulate pricing on top level domain registries would be a step backwards 
toward that end.

Lawrence Hougland
http://www.netmidwest.com/
Host With The Best - NetMidWest!