The .net domain registry will remain under the management and operation of Verisign until at least 2017.
ICANN has renewed its agreement with Verisign, which was last renewed in 2005. The 2005 bidding process for .net was a competitive one with at least five bidders involved. In contrast, for the 2011 renewal, there was not a competitive bid process for .net.
“Part of that 2005 agreement included a presumptive right of renewal that all gTLDs now have in their agreements which is designed to encourage continued investment in Internet critical infrastructure such as .net,” Pat Kane, senior vice president and general manager of Naming Services at Verisign, told InternetNews.com. “Verisign met all requirements to enact this presumptive right of renewal which extended Verisign as the registry operator for .net through 2017.
Read the full story at Datamation:
Verisign Renews .NET