CORE Slips in Under ICANN Deadline

Joining the domain registration fray just weeks after the extension of the
testbed deadline, The Internet Council of Registrars (CORE) Monday
announced its registration of the .com, .net and .org top level domain
names is open for business.

CORE now joins register.com as one of
two current domain registration rivals to Network Solutions. Register.com launched
its services June 7.

CORE, a non-profit organization, was founded in the fall of 1996 to add new
structure, free enterprise and competition to the domain registration
system, was selected in April by the Internet Corp. of Assigned Names
and Numbers as one of five
registrars to test a competitive domain registration system.

“CORE is very pleased to reach the first major step in launching a new era
of competition in domain name registration,” said Ken Stubbs, chairman of
CORE. “As with any competitive marketplace, registrars will be competing on
price, service, added value and other benefits to attract and
keep customers.”

“CORE has benefited from the technical and managerial expertise of
registrars on five continents in getting to this stage,” Stubbs said. “Now,
we are looking forward to introducing the world to an unequaled level of
service, support and value through every CORE registrar.”

Initially, 11 CORE member registrars from seven countries are participating
in the ICANN testbed phase. More will be added as they meet
the CORE technical and financial requirements.

CORE was also one of several critics of Network Solutions’ efforts to
transfer software to soon-to-be-competitors after it lost its seven-year
monopoly. Stubbs told InternetNews.com in May that many of the initial testbed
registrars were unhappy with NSI’s required contract, which participants
had to sign before receiving the registration software. The contract
included a $100,000 insurance policy payable to NSI, according to Stubbs.

ICANN recently extended the June 25 deadline to July 16. Technical issues
and legal problems with the Department of Commerce were blamed for the delay.

Both France Telecom/Oleane and America Online are
expected to enter the competition in the next few days, according to NSI
spokesman Brian O’Shaunnessy.

ICANN has since added two rounds to follow the initial testbed phase, one
containing 37
accredited registrars and the third round, announced last week, listing
a new group of 15 registrars-in-waiting.