ICANN Says Verisign Misleading the Public About WLS!!

[Duke]

Check this link out - a new letter from ICANN to Verisign telling them they are misleading the public by stating that WLS will rollout in October. There are still many parts of the WLS agreement that have not even been finalized:

http://www.icann.org/correspondence/twomey-letter-to-gomes-04sep03.htm

 

[StockDoctor]

Thanks for the article Duke. I'm still confused by the restrictions on the dates when a wls can be placed on a name or not. Can anyone clarify this?

Also, from the article this quote
"A blackout period during which no registrar will be allowed to place a WLS subscription on a domain name for a period commencing 10 days prior to the scheduled expiration date for such domain name, and continuing for the duration of the auto-renew grace period lasting up to 45 days following the scheduled expiration date."

Maybe I'm thinking it's more complicated than it really is, but I'm still not sure.
Doc

 

[Duke]

It looks like all WLS slots would have to be taken EARLIER than 10 days before the domain's expiration date. None would be available after that, so no taking names in Registrar Hold, RGP or Pending Delete. Once they get within 10 days of the expiration date looks like they would have to go through the normal cycle. So you would have to pay your money and take your chances even before the domain expires. If the owner renews on his own (or after getting the required notice that someone else took out a WLS on the name then your are SOL).

From the letter it does looks like ICANN will insist that the current owner be notified when someone takes out a WLS on their name. That will be an immediate tipoff that the name has value. Between that and all of the speculators phoning owners of valuable names I don't see how many good ones are going to wind up iin the hands of WLS slot holders.

 

[mole]

Originally posted by Duke
Between that and all of the speculators phoning owners of valuable names I don't see how many good ones are going to wind up iin the hands of WLS slot holders.

Speculators don't want to contact owners as far as possible, duke. This is what name owners have been hoping for, and the price will skyrocket like a lit fuse into the fireworks on July 4th.

 

[Honan]

The proposal appears to prevent REGISTRARS placing WLS on names during that period. Not you and me. That is the way i read it anyway. It appears to be one of the measures designed to prevent Registrars gaining an unfair competitive advantage by using "inside" knowledge

Originally posted by Stocdoctor
Thanks for the article Duke. I'm still confused by the restrictions on the dates when a wls can be placed on a name or not. Can anyone clarify this?

Also, from the article this quote
"A blackout period during which no registrar will be allowed to place a WLS subscription on a domain name for a period commencing 10 days prior to the scheduled expiration date for such domain name, and continuing for the duration of the auto-renew grace period lasting up to 45 days following the scheduled expiration date."

Maybe I'm thinking it's more complicated than it really is, but I'm still not sure.
Doc

 

[Duke]

You can't place an order if a registrar doesn't order it for you. Not a very clearly written passage. In any case this passage would appear to make imminent enactment of WLS a long shot:

"We (ICANN) note that information provided on the VeriSign registry website fails to mention that these outstanding requirements remain unsatisfied for the launch of the WLS. We believe statements omitting this information are misleading and ask you to identify when making public statements those further conditions to be satisfied before the WLS can be implemented. "

 

[bidawinner]

"Providing the following recommended notification language to registrars, which the registrar of record or the WLS registrar would communicate to the current registrant:


"This notice is to inform you that a Wait Listing Service (WLS) subscription has been placed on the domain name <insert domain name> registered with us. Should you choose not to renew your domain name registration with us, the domain name will be deleted and registered to the WLS subscriber."

Will that be gibberish to many people ? will some people simply look at it as spam mail and dismiss it ? will some people simply say "whatever"
Some people will be dead, some people on vacation some people no longer use that address etc..

I think at least for the first few years or so many many quality names will actually make it through the WLS process.. the same people now that disregard 2-3 emails warning them their domain is about to drop will be the same people that carry that ignorance over to WLS..

I think so..

But I do agree the only sure way of getting any domain is simply the same way it is set-up now.. contant the owner...

 

[Nexus]

Originally posted by bidawinner
"Will that be gibberish to many people ? will some people simply look at it as spam mail and dismiss it ? will some people simply say "whatever" Some people will be dead, some people on vacation some people no longer use that address etc..
I think at least for the first few years or so many many quality names will actually make it through the WLS process.. the same people now that disregard 2-3 emails warning them their domain is about to drop will be the same people that carry that ignorance over to WLS..

The weird thing is, the WLS "gaining" registrar will probably be forced to send out communications to someone with whom they have no business relationship with. Can you say "spam"? Further, this e-mail will let them know that unless they renew with [presumeably their competitor]!, they will lose the name to the next registrant (their customer). What if the "losing" registrar hasn't signed up to WLS? Their registration agreement hasn't changed, so they shouldn't be required to do anything, although they certainly shouldn't miss the opportunity to send the message out along with the normal renewal notices. Ug. Some funky questions.

But I do agree the only sure way of getting any domain is simply the same way it is set-up now.. contant the owner...

There is no and will never be any surefire way of getting an expiring domain. It is a landscape drenched with uncertainties. If/after launched, I think WLS will probability-wise be the most likely method though.

~ Nexus