I just got this from buydomains.com. Thoughts? ---------snip snip------------ Sunday, June 25, 2000 NEW TRANSFER SERVICE GOES LIVE BuyDomains.com has launched a service that allows anyone to transfer their domain names away from Network Solutions (or any other registrar) for a maximum of $17 per name. This service automatically adds one year on top of the current domain expiration date at the existing registrar. BuyDomains.com�s transfer service includes ALL registry fees, free URL forwarding, free unlimited email addresses forwarded to an existing mail account, responsive toll free support and free DNS for the entire registration period. This is one way the marketplace can fight back against inflated prices, poor customer service, and the monopolistic practices of Network Solutions and their ilk. Transfer your domains now at www.buydomains.com. You�ll begin receiving our value added services right away without having to wait for your domains to expire elsewhere. IS NETWORK SOLUTIONS TRYING TO STEAL THE INTERNET AGAIN? By Michael F. Mann President, BuyDomains.com NSI has announced their intention to keep all domain names that expire for themselves - and they intend to put the names up for auction exclusively on their own web site. According to our data over 300,000 domains at NSI expire EVERY MONTH. Currently you can search our database by keyword for previously expired domains � see www.buydomains.com � Item 5. Domains found can be registered on the spot or via any other registration service. If NSI has their way this segment of market competition will cease. NSI plans to hoard millions of domains every year, preventing any other registration service in the world from registering those names to their customers, and keeping all the money for themselves. The loss of value to the marketplace (if the names are valued at $70 each) is in the range of $154 Million dollars each year. On auction potentially even more. NSI currently controls over 12 million domains the majority of which were registered to consumers while NSI was a legally sanctioned monopoly. The original contracts did not require the registrants to renew and therefore an expired domain should be released to the general pool of available domains where anyone can register it via any registration service. Not only does the hoarding of names smell bad but it is a violation of ICANN (the government approved domain regulating body) rules and may be a violation of US antitrust laws. Remember all of these names that are expiring were registered through NSI during the years they had a government sanctioned monopoly. This monopoly was supposed to be stopped. But with this hoarding practice and the practice of charging $199 for so called �expedited� transfer of names (registered during the monopoly years) NSI�s monopoly power is alive and well - despite competition existing in certain market segments. Our data shows NSI�s hoarding practice has started in force eventhough their auction service has not launched. For example, the names below (along with hundreds of thousands more) should currently be available to the general marketplace. A domain lookup (which can be done at www.buydomains.com or other registration sites) shows this small sample of domains have expired some time ago, yet are not available to the public because NSI has decided to keep them. centralcontrol.com (ironic eh?) (expired on 28-Feb-1999) fineline.com (expired on 05-May-1999) masscommunication.com (expired on 05-Mar-2000) aerialservices.com (expired on 29-Aug-1999) cherokeemusic.com (expired on 02-Mar-2000) intranetcity.com (expired on 10-Mar-2000) digexpress.com (expired on 07-Feb-2000) You should take action to protect your rights as a domain consumer by contacting the people and organizations that are tasked with monitoring the domain system for the public good. Let them know loud and clear what you think about NSI�s hoarding practices and their $199 transfer fee. The main oversight committee is ICANN which the US government has entrusted to police Internet domain registrars. Contacts: Louis Touton VP, General Counsel -- [EMAIL PROTECTED] Michael M. Roberts - President and CEO -- [EMAIL PROTECTED] Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers 4676 Admiralty Way, Suite 330 Marina del Rey, CA 90292 Phone: 310.823.9358 The Department of Commerce�s NTIA division also plays a very active role in domain policy. Contact: J. Beckwith (Becky) Burr [EMAIL PROTECTED] 202-482-2581 Associate Administrator Office of International Affairs U.S. Department of Commerce Room 4701 1401 Constitution Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20230 Also contact: Federal Trade Commission Michael Donohue - Bureau of Consumer Protection staff attorney -- [EMAIL PROTECTED] (202) 326-3563 and Members of the congressional committee that presided over the the original attempt to break the monopoly. The Honorable Thomas J. Bliley, Jr. Chairman The House Committee on Commerce http://www.house.gov/commerce/ 2125 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 (202) 225-2927 and Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade and Consumer Protection Chairman W.J. \"Billy\" Tauzin 2183 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202)-225-4031 Don�t forget to call your own congresspeople and request action. You can write your Representative through the following address http://www.house.gov/writerep/ Fight back against the monopolistic practices of big businesses that want to strip you of your consumer rights!! ---------snip snip------------ Kurth Bemis - Senior Linux Network/Systems Administrator, USAExpress.net [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.usaexpress.net/kurth ICQ - 6624050 Call Sign - N1TYW PGP key available - http://www.usaexpress.net/kurth/pgp Fight Weak Encryption! Donate your wasted CPU cycles to Distributed.net (http://www.distributed.net)
