Proposed changes to Biz/Info/Org contracts a positive step

["Max Menius" <MMeniusJr@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

To: ICANN Board of Directors

New section 7.3 (to be added to the agreements) addresses the need for 
predictable pricing on new domain registrations, renewals, and transfers. This 
section uses clear language to specify what BIZ/INFO/ORG registrants may expect 
to pay for long-term retention of their domain names. A worse case scenario 
allows for a 10% price increase per year.

I consider this a signficant improvement over the initial agreements. The 
initial agreements were devoid of safeguards and left open the door for 
horrific tiered-pricing abuses on existing domain name registrants. ICANN 
allowing a maximum 10% per annum price increase is well-defined and offers 
BIZ/INFO/ORG stakeholders the protection they deserve. 

I am aware that there can be no single outcome that will satisfy all interested 
parties. However, I appreciate that ICANN have taken into consideration the 
internet community's concerns and rewritten the initial contracts to remove 
discriminatory pricing. 

In closing, I want to emphasize how critically important it is that registries 
and accredited registrars be tightly regulated and monitored by ICANN. My 
experience, and that of many others, has found a disturbing lack of oversight 
of registrar behavior in recent years. Assuming that registry/registrar "good 
will" and ethical business practice are commonplace is naive and unrealistic in 
the extreme. Some accredited registrars operate their businesses in a 
respectable manner ... while a surprising number (of currently accredited 
registrars) are rife with abusive practices and misuse their accreditation 
status to warehouse valuable domain names and speculate on names in direct 
competition with the general business community. Accreditation has become the 
new device for registrars to siphon off internet domain names for their own 
profit. This arguably goes against the spirit of ICANN's registrar agreement 
and has been far too long overlooked. Reference ICANN registrar agreement item:

3.7.9 Registrar shall abide by any ICANN adopted specifications or policies 
prohibiting or restricting warehousing of or speculation in domain names by 
registrars. 

The time has come for ICANN to take a position on this, to adopt a policy 
prohibiting warehousing and speculation by accredited registrars.

Cordially,

Max Menius
Menius Enterprises, Inc. 
Greensboro, NC, USA