Network Solutions, which will soon lose
its government-granted monopoly on .com domains, is criticizing the Internet Corp. for Assigned Names and
Numbers’ draft guidelines for domain registrars.
NSI is accusing ICANN of proposing a “heavy-handed, global regulatory
administration and corresponding bureaucracy never envisioned in any of the
multi-year public policy debate that has preceded the release of this draft.”
NSI said ICANN’s regulatory plans go against the cooperative nature of the
Internet and put too much power in the hands of one body. NSI also believes
most of ICANN’s guidelines violate the spirit of the agreement between that
body and the U.S. Commerce Department.
“The proposed regulatory administration is wholly at odds with the
historically distributed, cooperative
basis for the Internet,” NSI said.
“Moving forward with this proposal would do irreparable harm to the
Internet’s dynamics, evolution, and
stability–which have been well-maintained without the kind of Internet
global regulation being suggested. It would be the worst of all worlds–a
government-sponsored, unaccountable private global
regulatory regime, controlling and constantly reviewing detailed aspects of
every DNS registration
provider’s business.
“It proposes exactly the kind of regulatory threat to the Internet that the
Clinton Administration and US Congress has pledged to avoid,” NSI added.
NSI also said ICANN is going against the wishes of the Clinton
administration and the Internet community–both of which have repeatedly
said they favor a market-based approach. NSI said ICANN’s proposals would
amount to “stifling market innovation through regulation.”
In early February, ICANN released a preliminary list of qualifications
domain registrars must meet. Under the interim guidelines, registrars must
demonstrate they have the basic capabilities to perform the obligations,
they must not have been disqualified for past violation of ICANN standards,
must abide by the code of conduct for DNS registrars, provide procedures to
allow an applicant’s customers to change registrars without interruption of
domain service, maintain necessary working capital and hold a second or
third-level domain.
ICANN is also considering a requirement for registrars to secure $500,000
in general liability insurance coverage. However, that amount could vary
depending on the registrar’s location.
In its statement, Network Solutions said ICANN’s initial approach does not
adequately address the growth of the Internet and electronic commerce.
“It is regulatory in nature and impairs free market competition. We tried
to be as concrete and constructive as possible in our comments–with a
view to showing specific alternative approaches that could work well to
assure stable operations, robust competition and consensus-based, bottom-up
policy development,” said Donald N. Telage, NSI’s senior vice president.
Telage said NSI is prepared to compete with qualified registrars and assure
fair and open competition in the domain registration market.
ICANN officials could not be reached for comment. ICANN’s board will meet
Wednesday in Singapore. Items on the agenda include supporting organization
proposals, discussion of policies and procedures and conflict of interest
policies.
