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VeriSign Can Raise .net Prices in 2007

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the prices-rising dept.

miller60 writes "ICANN is lifting restrictions on VeriSign's pricing of .net domains as of Jan. 1, 2007, eliminating a cap that dictated the amount VeriSign could charge registrars for each .net domain. The cap, now at $4.25 per name, expires at the end of 2006. The pricing details were not included in a draft contract published by ICANN prior to the bidding process, but negotiated after VeriSign prevailed in a controversial evaluation by Telcordia. VeriSign must give six months before any price change, allowing time to lock in current pricing with multi-year renewals."

4 of 101 comments (clear)

  1. THAT'S IT!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I am switching from .net to java NOW!!!

    Uhm, whaat? Never mind... Oops!

  2. It's not the end of the world by Kookus · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'm not understanding why they should be allowed to charge more. Does the registration business really follow the same dynamics that other businesses follow?
    Let's say the costs to maintain their business follow inflation, wouldn't they always be profitable on the ever increasing numbers of domains being registered? It's not like a buy once and you're set type of deal, you're locked into a service forever unless you're ready to part with your "name".

  3. Re:I don't see a problem with it by wfberg · · Score: 5, Insightful
    The decisions of what Verisign can charge and how long they can charge is are really up to YOU: the customer. Vote with your feet and start looking at some non Versign controlled TLD's!


    This works because there is absolutely no cost or inconvenience associeted with changing your internet address!

    People will magically assume that they should go to yourdomain.someobscurenonversigingTLDlikedotbizorp erhapsdotus in stead of yourdomain.net when you drop it (and when it's subsequently re-registered by a domain spammer or your competitor).

    Also, e-mail will magically be rerouted so you won't miss a single e-mail, and said domainspammers/competitors won't get mail meant for you on their mailserver (you know, like paypal password reset links and stuff).

    --
    SCO employee? Check out the bounty
  4. Re:I don't see a problem with it by uss_valiant · · Score: 5, Insightful
    I suppose I'm missing what the big deal is about this issue. I understand that Verisign has a lock on the .net TLD but the company is really no different than any other business: what they can get away with is directly regulated by what people are willing to pay.
    Nope, there's no alternative to Verisign if you need .net domains, it's a monopoly.
    Just think of all existing .net domains. A lot of websites are bound to their .net domain name. If Verisign decided to charge more and more for .net domains, you have the choice between losing a lot of bookmarks, your well known domain name, your page rank etc. and just paying what Verisign charges.
    Either let more than a single company manange and sell .net domains or regulate the price. Free marker vs. regulation. But don't give a single company the monopoly and let them charge whatever they want at the same time.
    The DNS is hierarchical, so the ICANN could decide that Verisign manages the .net server, but other companies can sell .net domains too, and the ICANN should then at least regulate what the other companies have to pay for the license to sell .net domains.