Verisign withdraws 1&2 character .NET request

stephane.vangelder@indom.com (Stephane Van Gelder) — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 18:33:54 +0200

In what was widely viewed as a dress rehearsal for the future release of all 1 and 2 character .COM domains, Verisign put in a request in August for the same operation in .NET.

However in a surprise move, Verisign now seems to have withdrawn the request. This is what the ICANN registry service request page now shows.

No information as to why is listed. Verisign may obviously resubmit the request at a later date so at this stage, it is impossible to determine what effect, if any, this might have on the 1&2 character .COM release.

ICM boss claims .XXX has now cost him over $10 million!

stephane.vangelder@indom.com (Stephane Van Gelder) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 23:12:57 +0200

Just been talking numbers with ICM Registry supremo Stuart Lawley, who is addressing the ICANN community in an open letter posted on CircleID.

And whatever opinions you have on the .XXX saga, you have to admit that the costs are simply staggering and show that there's obviously something wrong with the whole process when a business that was initially given a green light has to go though so much time and expense just to get what it was promised.

In saying this, I am merely repeating what ICANN's own Independent Review Panel thought a few months ago.

The costs of that review alone are staggering, for ICM and ICANN (i.e. the Internet community, or you and I if you prefer). "We spent $1 million in the first round in 2000," says Lawley. "Then another $1.5 million to get to the June 2005 approval stage. Then another $1.5 million to get to the Lisbon ICANN meeting. And the IRP review cost us over $5 million… so that's $9 million plus already."

Incredible isn't it. Lawley says that total costs for ICM have now risen above $10 million. "And the clock still keeps ticking," he adds.

ICANN's legal costs on the .XXX review are said to be around $2 million.

Stephane Van Gelder - Registries

Verisign withdraws 1&2 character .NET request

ICM boss claims .XXX has now cost him over $10 million!