Thumbs Down on Revised .BIZ, .INFO AND .ORG Registry Agreements

[George Kirikos <gkirikos@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hello,

Another set of revised contract proposals was posted at:

http://www.icann.org/announcements/announcement-24oct06.htm

Yet again, this is another attempt to sneak unwanted things through in
a hurried fashion before the ICANN Meetings in Sao Paulo, where new
Board members would be taking the place of some existing ones and where
the public would have the benefit of the PDP'06 report.

These new proposals put in 10% annual price increases, in a time when
technological costs are FALLING, and continue the anti-competitive
presumptive renewal, and use by registries  of private traffic data.
Furthermore, the contracts leave a  huge loophole in them once more to
renegotiate fees based on the economic expert's report. Instead of
waiting to see what that report says, the registries want to now lock
in at least 10% annual fee increases! If that expert later says that a
tender process should be in place, to rebid operation of the registry
to have lower prices that benefit consumers, it's too late, as the
contracts contain presumptive renewal. If on the other hand a biased
"expert" suggest that price caps should be removed or that differential
pricing should be allowed, the registries would be willing to go forth
with that. Once again, a "heads we win, tails you lose" contract in
favour of the incumbent registry operators.

These proposals should be denied, and instead the Board should wait
until after Sao Paulo, as per the GNSO council vote. 

Sincerely,

George Kirikos
http://www.kirikos.com/