Comments on proposed ICANN/Verisign settlement

[Robbie Honerkamp <robbie@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

To: ICANN
To: Carlos Guterriez, Secretary of the United States Department of Commerce
To: Michael Gallagher, Assistant Secretary of the United States NTIA

Re: Comments on the proposed ICANN/Verisign settlement

Sirs,

I operate a consulting company that provides Internet services 
(including domain name registration) to small Internet service providers 
in developing countries. Our customers come from many countries in 
Africa, Asia, and Latin America, and are understandably very price 
sensitive.

ICANN took a great step forward several years ago when they began 
working to remove Network Solutions/Verisign's monopoly on Internet 
domain name registration. I'm saddened to see this most recent 
development, one which threatens to not only reinstate Verisign's
monopoly, but also make it permanent.

Removing the price cap on domain names is only one small step towards 
reinstuting the market forces referred to in the settlement. The other 
step is relieving Verisign of their monopoly. Price caps are necessary 
only when there is a monopoly. Removing a price cap (even incrementally) 
in a monopolistic situation can only lead to problems. In addition to 
this, the settlement makes it even more difficult for ICANN to cancel 
Verisign's operating agreement in the future, making this unfortunate 
agreement virtually perpetual. It also ensures that Verisign will never 
again need to listen to market forces, its customers, or ICANN.

This change will adversely affect domain name registrars around the 
world. In my own situation, my company's mission to spread the reach of 
the Internet around the world conflicts with these settlement terms. 
Many of my customers are small businesses in African countries that are 
making their very first steps online. They seek trading partners in 
other countries to expand their business. But these are still very small 
companies, and what may seem like a minor fee increase to us in America 
ends up becoming a major problem for them. The .com TLD is a global 
namespace, and I urge ICANN and the Department of Commerce to consider 
the international implications of this decision.

In addition, I also urge ICANN and the Department of Commerce to 
remember demands from other nations to release control of the Internet 
to international organizations. I am sure you will agree with me that 
such an event could be disastrous, as political battles with 
totalitarian regimes over online censorship would almost certainly 
result. Increasing these fees and cementing a needless monopoly will 
only lead to louder cries for ICANN's removal.

Thank you for considering my thoughts.

Robert Honerkamp
President
Comtrends, Inc.