[Fwd: Re: Domain Tasting request for information]
Dear Patrick and all, Below is a summary of the discussion that happened in the LACTLD list in response to the request for information. They answered in Spanish (this is my translation) and they did not comply with the RFI format. Hope you find it useful and interesting. --- .bz (Belize) Belize is like gTLDs. Grace period of 5 days. This is for registrars and not for end-user.
Nic.CL has implemented a policy of "activation after payment". But the consumer law in Chile gives the client a right to retract, allowing him to desist a purchase in a period of 10 days. This could allow domain tasting practices but this has not happened yet. In the past there has been some abuses to the system, particularly in the subscription process. There is a 30 day period to pay for the domain after applying for it (subscription). If after this period the domain hasn't been payed, the request is automatically eliminated. Some people request for the domain several times without paying for it. This trick is called "bicycle" and those who practice it "cyclists". They usually wait for an interested party to pay them for the domain instead of applying for a dispute resolution process. There is a "cyclist" that has been doing tricks since 2000!
There are "cyclists" abusing the .do because there is a grace period of 30 days. If domain is not payed during this time, then the name is cancelled.
Activation after payment. There is no domain-tasting.
There is no domain tasting in Guatemala. There is a grace period of 30 days but name is only reserved and not active until after payment. There are some clients that need a name only for a few weeks (for example, during election periods, for the campaigns). They might find domain tasting as a rational practice.
Registration policies changed in 2006 to allow DNS resolution (activation) only after domain has been payed. This only applies for direct clients (60%) and not for registrars/resellers. Registrars/resellers can choose when to charge, even after grace period (they choose what will be the mechanisms of charging their own clients). Some registrars may find advantage in promoting their services to domain tasters. The domain tasting discussions in the gTLD arena could be ground-floor for ccTLDs.
"Activation after payment". But there are "cyclists" that block names in search of interested clients. The biggest problem is that those names that are given-back and request reimbursement, generate tax complications. They recently chose a registrar scheme and NIC.Pe hopes the burden get transferred to them.
There are 30 days after subscription to pay for the name. During that time, information is shown in Whois. But name is activated after payment. Minimum registration is for 2 years. There is a non-reimbursement clause in their policies: once the name is active, there is no turning back.
Activation after payment. There is no domain-tasting.
The "domain tasting" phenomenology in Latin America responds to the fact that most of the payments for domain names are made "off-line". The "grace period" is part of the payment process. There is a subscription, sometimes there is activation before payment, sometimes not. In the cases where activation may come before payment (as in .do), this is subject to monetization and domain-tasting practices. There were some questions (and no answers) on whether domain tasting should be treated as a problem (because there is a conflict of interest with registrars; its against consumers and against the health of DNS) or could be a succesful commercial practice. It is up to each ccTLD to define if it is something to be promoted or not. If domain tasting is conceived as a problem, there was agreement that it is important to avoid any incentives for registrars to use the registry themselves: "self dealing", "insider trading", etc. --- Best regards, Pablo -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: Domain Tasting request for information Date: Fri, 17 Aug 2007 09:27:28 -0500 From: Pablo Hinojosa <pablo.hinojosa@xxxxxxxxx> Organization: ICANN To: Patrick Jones <patrick.jones@xxxxxxxxx>, 'Olof Nordling' <olof.nordling@xxxxxxxxx> CC: Kieren McCarthy <kieren.mccarthy@xxxxxxxxx>, 'Regional Liaisons' <regional-liaisons@xxxxxxxxx> Patrick, Olof, I have sent the request for information to the Latin American ccTLDs and they have started an active discussion on the topic, although not very detailed. I wonder: is this request for comments subject to be added to the new "public comment" site? I would like to promote the "public comment" site as well. Best, Pablo Pablo Hinojosa wrote: Sure Patrick! Will keep you posted on outcomes. |