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Username: stuart
Date/Time: Thu, November 16, 2000 at 5:21 AM GMT
Browser: Netscape Communicator V4.08 using Windows 95
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Subject: Afilias/ICANN in the news !

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(from newsbytes.com)

Lawmakers - ICANN Should Freeze New Domain-Name Plan

                 By Robert MacMillan and David McGuire, Newsbytes
                 WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A.,
                 15 Nov 2000, 5:38 PM CST

                 Reps. Edward Markey, D-Mass., and Lois Capps, D-Calif., Tuesday asked the
                 Commerce Department to delay its implementation of new generic top-level
                 domains like .com, .org and .net until the group charged with administering
                 the address system and the government review the level of competition in
                 that field, particularly from dominant player VeriSign Registry Services.

                 The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is, however,
                 meeting in Marina del Rey, Calif., this week specifically to devise new "g-TLDs."

                 In a letter sent Tuesday to Assistant Commerce Secretary Greg Rohde, head of the
                 National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), Markey and Capps
                 asked Rohde to bring his administrative power to bear to persuade ICANN not to develop
                 new g-TLDs until VeriSign Registry Services (formerly Network Solutions - the one-time
                 sole seller of names in .com, .org and .net) no longer retains its "hegemony" and
                 "overwhelming dominance" in the domain name market.

                 "In addition, such a decision would appear to be at odds with the fundamental rationale
                 for which the Commerce Department granted ICANN authority over these matters,
                 namely, that ICANN would move the Internet domain-name system away from its
                 monopolistic antecedents and would effectively implement the goal of ensuring
                 competition in the domain-name marketplace," Markey and Capps also wrote.

                 Markey and Capps also criticized what they called ICANN's lack of accountability and
                 transparency in the domain-name process, noting that "as we understand it," new
                 members of the ICANN board, "the only elected board members - are not participating in
                 this important decision on new TLDs."

                 "In addition, ICANN's own independent expert analysis of the potential new TLDs was
                 not made available for timely public review and comment," Markey and Capps wrote.
                 "Such a closed process leads to public frustration, speculation about motives and
                 allegations that ICANN's decisions are arbitrary or will stifle any serious competition to
                 NSI."

                 Markey and Capps expressed frustration at reports that ICANN may award the .web
                 registry to a consortium that includes VeriSign as a member. "ICANN is apparently
                 considering this action in spite of the fact that another entrepreneurial company has
                 been successfully operating the .web registry for nearly five years and has applied for
                 the .web name," they said.

                 The Congress members were referring to Image Online Design Inc., which has been
                 running .web as an "alternative" domain for about five years. Internet users cannot
                 access ".web" addresses registered by Image Online Design unless they tweak their
                 computers to point to IOD's "zone servers."

                 The consortium to which the legislators referred is Affilias, in which VeriSign owns a
                 minority stake of less than 10 percent, and cannot under the charter of the consortium
                 gain control of it.

                 Capps meanwhile wrote in late October to ICANN Interim CEO Michael Roberts, asking
                 for approval for IOD - one of her constituents - to operate the .web TLD.

                 "If all we're going to do is come out with new TLDs and hand them back over to the
                 same crowd that's doing that now, we haven't achieved much," said a senior Markey
                 staffer. "(VeriSign has) added to its portfolio."

                 They added in their letter that decisions that ICANN makes in the next few weeks may
                 put "important policy objectives at risk," namely NTIA's mission to promote "the benefits
                 of technological development in the United States for all users of telecommunications
                 equipment and information facilities."

                 Rohde only received the letter today, and has no comment at this time, said NTIA
                 Spokesperson Ranjit de Silva, who added that Rohde may will make a statement in the
                 near future.

                 VeriSign officials did not immediately return telephone calls seeking comment.

                 Reported by Newsbytes.com, http://www.newsbytes.com .

                 17:38 CST

                 (20001115/WIRES TOP, ONLINE, LEGAL, BUSINESS/ICANN/PHOTO)  
     

 


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