-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Raisch [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 1999 8:44 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cc: Esther Dyson; Mike Roberts; Dave Farber; Saul Hansell;
Einar
Stefferud
Subject: RE: [IFWP] Re: the news...
Chuck,
As you well know, Network Solutions is the sole source of a
critical service
and it is the only place where such a service can be
purchased and where any
and all changes to that service must be managed.
IF AND ONLY IF the ISP is a member of Network Solution's
Affiliate Program, do
they enjoy the option of managing the relationship between
customer and
registry, shielding their customer from the competitive
services provided by
Network Solutions.
Chuck: Robert, I think it is just the opposite at least in
respect to the web site, unless I'm misunderstanding
something here. The Affiliates actually elect to use the
NSI interface and in so doing they have their customers
click through to the NSI site. They still manage the
customer interface with regard to their products and
services. In the case of the affiliates, they are able to
offer NSI products and services to their customers so it
expands their offerings. For those who do not want to do
this because they have products and services that compete
with NSI's, the affiliate option is probably the wrong way
to go. It would be better for them to set up their own
customer interface for name registrations and modifications
and then send requests directly to NSI via email. There are
literally hundreds of ISPs who do this right now. I don't
think there customers see the NSI sight at all unless they
independently go to it.
If all ISPs were affiliates, my argument would be invalid,
but all ISPs are
not affiliates. Network Solutions demands certain behavior
from their
"Affiliates", and reserves the right to refuse membership in
this program to
ISPs who do not conform to its rules of "suitability."
Network Solution's
requirements of suitability include provisions which are
contrary to U.S.
federal law and do not support an ISP's constitutional
rights to free speech.
(I find it curious that, as was recently upheld in court,
Network Solutions
enjoys certain protections as a government contractor, and
yet is not held to
the same laws required of such contractors.) Further,
Network Solutions
reserves the right to refuse membership in its Affiliate
Program "for any
other reason that is deemed by us [Network Solutions] to be
unsuitable."
Chuck: I agree. That is why hundreds of ISPs are not
affiliates. They set up there own customer service
interface so their customers never see the NSI site. I
don't have a clue what you are getting at with regard to
suitability provisions. Please clarify.
Since the Network Solutions Affiliate Program is not
available to all ISPs,
using it as an argument against competitive bundling is
specious.
Chuck: I was not trying to use the affiliate program as an
argument against competitive bundling. I was trying to
point out that we offer that for those who do want there
customers to go directly to our site. Many do not want
this. That is perfectly understandable and that is still
possible. Our premier partners are good examples of this,
but many non-partners do it as well.
Further, Network Solutions Affiliate Program demands the ISP
enter into an
exclusive relationship with Network Solutions, as the sole
provider of
registration services, creating a contractual obligation on
the part of the
ISP to use Network Solutions for a period of two years, thus
reinforcing its
market position at the detriment of the market.
Finally, I notice you choose not to address the issues of
established "brand
equity" I raise in my message.
Chuck: Help me understand your question here.
--
Robert Raisch, Internet Hired Gun <http://www.raisch.com>
First snow, then silence-This thousand dollar screen-dies so
beautifully.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 1999 7:21 AM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Cc: Esther Dyson; Mike Roberts; Dave Farber; Saul Hansell;
Einar
> Stefferud; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: RE: [IFWP] Re: the news...
>
>
> Robert,
>
> I don't understand your statement below, "if I am a small
> ISP, how can I expect to retain my customer when they MUST
> go to a major competitor to enjoy domain registration . .
."
> Your customer is not required to go through NSI. At the
> present time, you as the ISP need to go through NSI, but
> your customer does not.
>
> In NSI's Affiliate program, the affiliate's customers use
> the NSI interface, but it is not necessary for your
> customer's to use our interface. The Affiliate program
was
> set up to make it especially easy and cost effective for
the
> small to medium sized ISP to register names and offer
other
> services without having to set up their own customer
> interface. You are perfectly free to set up your own
> customer interface. Hundreds of ISPs and web-hosting
firms
> have been doing this for months and years. Their
customers
> do not have to use our interface. In fact most of the
ISPs
> or web-hosting firms do not use our web interface either;
> they simply send us email agreements directly. That
> capability did not change with the introduction of the
> consolidated web site.
>
> Chuck Gomes
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Robert Raisch [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 1999 8:48 PM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Cc: Esther Dyson; Mike Roberts; Dave Farber; Saul Hansell;
> Einar
> Stefferud; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: RE: [IFWP] Re: the news...
>
>
> I am deeply saddened to see no mention of the issue of
> anti-competitive
> service bundling raised in the various news articles with
> regards Network
> Solutions recent highjacking of the Internic.
>
> Am I the only one who sees how damaging this has been and
> will continue to be
> to those providing mail and web services to clients?
>
> Simply put, if I am a small ISP, how can I expect to
retain
> my customer when
> they MUST go to a major competitor to enjoy domain
> registration, a requirement
> for any Internet-connected business, when that registrar
> competes DIRECTLY
> with me?
>
> Furthermore, the Internic represents a valuable and
trusted
> brand identity
> which has become completely absorbed by Network Solutions,
> the "dot-com
> people."
>
> I explained these issues very carefully when interviewed
by
> InternetNews, only
> to have them ignore the very real anti-competitive effect
> they cause.
>
> --
> Robert Raisch, Internet Hired Gun <http://www.raisch.com>
> First snow, then silence-This thousand dollar screen-dies
so
> beautifully.
>
>
>
>
>
