RegistryPro Breaks Silence

[sharename]

This was just posted on RegistryPro's website

"It has come to the attention of RegistryPro that some .pro name holders are licensing their domain names to parties who may not themselves qualify for a .pro domain name. This practice may have caused some temporary confusion in the marketplace.

RegistryPro, in accordance with its agreements with ICANN, registrars, and others, fully maintains that every .pro domain name sold is activated only after appropriate professional credential checks have been successfully completed. Furthermore, all .pro domain names are sold to credentialed professionals, namely attorneys, physicians, engineers, and accountants in the US, Canada, UK, and Germany.

Once a .pro domain is appropriately purchased, RegistryPro does not assume control over the use of that name. This includes the secondary market and licensing programs referenced above.

In efforts to foster discussion on this topic, RegistryPro has launched a public forum at http://www.registrypro.pro/forum to allow the public to openly voice their opinions.

It is our hope that all viewpoints are fairly and constructively discussed. "

 

[Domagon]

...Once a .pro domain is appropriately purchased, RegistryPro does not assume control over the use of that name. This includes the secondary market and licensing programs referenced above...

So once one has a .pro domain, they are free to do whatever they want with it including selling it to parties that themselves would not qualify...

Wow, if that's not a loophole I don't know what is ... or do I misunderstand?

Well that's basically the end of .pro ... it will be destine to join the junkheap of .biz and .info; I guess it's only a matter of time before .pro runs a free registration promotion too.

Ron

 

[ollesboll]

So once one has a .pro domain, they are free to do whatever they want with it including selling it to parties that themselves would not qualify...

Wow, if that's not a loophole I don't know what is ... or do I misunderstand?

Well that's basically the end of .pro ... it will be destine to join the junkheap of .biz and .info; I guess it's only a matter of time before .pro runs a free registration promotion too.

Ron

If people wanted restricted TLDs then .PRO would have been successful from the start with lots of registrations. That was not the case and one cannot run a TLD with only a couple of registrations per week. So what's left to do? Give the people what they actually want and can use!

 

[sharename]

So once one has a .pro domain, they are free to do whatever they want with it including selling it to parties that themselves would not qualify...

Wow, if that's not a loophole I don't know what is ... or do I misunderstand?

Well that's basically the end of .pro ... it will be destine to join the junkheap of .biz and .info; I guess it's only a matter of time before .pro runs a free registration promotion too.

Ron

The professional credentials needs to be verified annully. So, if the new owner does not get verified, they lose the domain.

 

[DomeBase]

If people wanted restricted TLDs then .PRO would have been successful from the start with lots of registrations. That was not the case and one cannot run a TLD with only a couple of registrations per week. So what's left to do? Give the people what they actually want and can use!

New extensions are generally not driven by populist demand. Folks with an interest in the status quo, particular established parties those with trademarks, are weary and leery of new extensions in general... particularly those are open to anyone... so they seek to limit new generic extensions and push for restricted new extensions. Thus, .PRO and .COOP and .MUSEUM etc. However, there is tremendous financial pressure for the rules to be bent once they are created.

From the point of view of Domainers, this all is a mixed bag. If ICANN were to launch 50 new extensions, open to anyone, tomorrow -- is this what domainers would really want? Suddenly there would be a huge supply of prime secondary names in a huge variety of extensions. What would happen? Would this devalue existing domains because it would eliminate artificial scarcity? Would it reinforce the value of .COM vs. all other domains? Would it be a tide that lifts all boats? Would it even devalue .COM? Personally, I think that it would be a very complex change and the results very hard to predict.

So... like many political processes... we bumble along with incremental modifications to the status quo in the midst of competing (and sometimes conflicting) interests. The folks with good domains and trademarks who would be happy to have no more extensions -- period. And the folks who would like an infinite variety extensions to put an end to artificial scarecity once and for all. How is this balance currently struck? A couple restricted domains come out -- and shortly thereafter the rules begin to be bent and folks fight among themselves about how much the rules should be bent. A couple country codes come out -- and shortly thereafter folks haggle over whether they can be used as generics. It is sort of like the kind of legislation one sees coming out of a legislative body divided between two or more parties.

 

[muzie]

Good points DomeBase. At least the announcement and opening of the forum has pushed the .pro discussion onto new ground. A pretty lively place for a new board over there already!

 

[Domagon]

The professional credentials needs to be verified annully. So, if the new owner does not get verified, they lose the domain.

Who would take away such domain?

To reiterate a portion of RegistryPro's statement again:

Once a .pro domain is appropriately purchased, RegistryPro does not assume control over the use of that name. This includes the secondary market and licensing programs referenced above.

Note the phrase "...does not assume control..." and the phrase "...includes the secondary market..."

So in essance it makes no difference if a .PRO domain is verified or not after it's been initially registered - after that RegistryPro appearantly does NOT care what one does with the domain; one can use it for anything!

Ron

 

[fundraiser]

Who would take away such domain?

To reiterate a portion of RegistryPro's statement again:

Once a .pro domain is appropriately purchased, RegistryPro does not assume control over the use of that name. This includes the secondary market and licensing programs referenced above.

Note the phrase "...does not assume control..." and the phrase "...includes the secondary market..."

So in essance it makes no difference if a .PRO domain is verified or not after it's been initially registered - after that RegistryPro appearantly does NOT care what one does with the domain; one can use it for anything!

Ron

Actually it would not be taken away because it is not possible to change the registration to another party if they are not credentialed. The registration changes are done at the registry level and require a second level domain be paired with two third level domains in order to resolve but only one to forward to a third-level domain. Each must be registered to the same person or organization.

 

[DomeBase]

http://www.icann.org/correspondence/dam-to-delciello-24mar05.pdf

ICANN's letter on this topic

 

[Domagon]

fundraiser- Thank you for the clarification on that ... with that said, even though the new owner can't update the registrant field, the problem remains nevertheless - for example, many domains in .co.uk have been transfered to new "owners" without the corresponding registrant updates at the .co.uk registry - different situation, but point is that just because the registrant info can't be updated per se at the registry level alone won't stop people nor solve the problem.

.PRO must be *proactive* and enforce not just registration, but also use/control of .pro domains - and this is basically what ICANN is strongly requesting in the ICANN correspondence domebase kindly posted.

Finally, I'm happily surprised that ICANN actively working on this issue - .pro was approved by ICANN with the explicit understanding it would NOT be an open TLD. RegistryPro either needs to follow their own rules ... or shutdown .pro and reapply with ICANN.

Ron

 

[Mr Webname]

.PRO must be *proactive* and enforce not just registration, but also use/control of .pro domains - and this is basically what ICANN is strongly requesting in the ICANN correspondence domebase kindly posted.

Finally, I'm happily surprised that ICANN actively working on this issue - .pro was approved by ICANN with the explicit understanding it would NOT be an open TLD. RegistryPro either needs to follow their own rules ... or shutdown .pro and reapply with ICANN.

Ron

Whole-heartedly agree.

 

[lionheart]

I agree with the last two posts, that ICANN should pro-actively reassert the restricted intentions of .pro.

Hostways knew .pro was a clearly restricted TLD when they bought RegistryPro.

Now ICANN would like to amend the Registry agreement to defend this restricted TLD:

"ICANN is concerned that EnCirca's Pro-Forwarding Service violates the spirit of name restrictions in top-level domains such as .Pro."

"If RegistryPro shares ICANN's concerns about these questionable registrations, ICANN would like to discuss whether RegistryPro desires to enter into a contract amendment targeted at preventing registration abuses."

Proposed Amendments to the ICANN-Registry contract for .pro :

In order to reclaim the integrity and intended purposes of the .pro TLD (and to act as a model for future restricted TLDs), I propose that ICANN requests amendments along the following lines:

1. The registrant *must* be the person, entity, or organisation who is going to use the domain (the term 'use' excludes 'leasing' the domain to second-tier customers).

2. Dot Pro domains may not be registered with the intention of 'leasing' them to second-tier applicants, particularly where this process enables unauthorised users of domains to circumvent the restrictions defined by the Registry Agreement to keep it a restricted TLD, or to gain administrative and resale rights to .pro domains without prior professional verification at the point of registration.

3. All .pro registrants will be obliged to demonstrate *prior to annual renewal or within a year* that they now conform to these amended clauses, and that they are the person, entity or organisation who is going to use the domain (excluding 'leasing') and have undergone verification by a professional authority approved by ICANN *and* the registry, to safeguard the integrity and purposes of the registry. Failure to gain this independent verification will result in the *cancellation* of the domain registration.

These terms would come into immediate effect, but Conditions 1 and 2 would only apply to all new registrations or renewals. Condition 3 would apply to all .pro domains, whenever registered. The effect of these 3 clauses together would be to discourage speculators from continuing to register domains through proxy registrants since the domains would be cancelled within one year and would therefore have little or no market value.

While my views may not be popular with some domain speculators here on this forum, I just don't think .pro is the right registry to be invaded by speculators. It was always meant to be restricted.

Yrs,

Richard Henderson

 

[sharename]

"If RegistryPro shares ICANN's concerns about these questionable registrations, ICANN would like to discuss whether RegistryPro desires to enter into a contract amendment targeted at preventing registration abuses."[/I][/COLOR]

While my views may not be popular with some domain speculators here on this forum, I just don't think .pro is the right registry to be invaded by speculators. It was always meant to be restricted.

Yrs,

Richard Henderson

Frankly, it doesn't matter what you think. One of the reasons ICANN was formed was to provide alternatives to .com. These need to be alternatives that serve a previously underserved segment of the internet. .pro was conceived to do this but has failed. Now, the market is correcting it.

Sharename.

 

[izopod]

Richard: In order to reclaim the integrity and intended purposes of the .pro TLD (and to act as a model for future restricted TLDs) I propose that ICANN requests amendments along the following lines..(blah, blah, blah)

Izopod: Answer me this Richard. What is the intended purpose of the 2nd level domain? If it is for a professional to use as they wish, then it really isn't a domain for professionals, rather it would be a domain that could be used for anything, as long as it's owned by a professional.

I agree with the last two posts, that ICANN should pro-actively reassert the restricted intentions of .pro.

Hostways knew .pro was a clearly restricted TLD when they bought RegistryPro.

Now ICANN would like to amend the Registry agreement to defend this restricted TLD:

"ICANN is concerned that EnCirca's Pro-Forwarding Service violates the spirit of name restrictions in top-level domains such as .Pro."

"If RegistryPro shares ICANN's concerns about these questionable registrations, ICANN would like to discuss whether RegistryPro desires to enter into a contract amendment targeted at preventing registration abuses."

Proposed Amendments to the ICANN-Registry contract for .pro :

In order to reclaim the integrity and intended purposes of the .pro TLD (and to act as a model for future restricted TLDs), I propose that ICANN requests amendments along the following lines:

1. The registrant *must* be the person, entity, or organisation who is going to use the domain (the term 'use' excludes 'leasing' the domain to second-tier customers).

2. Dot Pro domains may not be registered with the intention of 'leasing' them to second-tier applicants, particularly where this process enables unauthorised users of domains to circumvent the restrictions defined by the Registry Agreement to keep it a restricted TLD, or to gain administrative and resale rights to .pro domains without prior professional verification at the point of registration.

3. All .pro registrants will be obliged to demonstrate *prior to annual renewal or within a year* that they now conform to these amended clauses, and that they are the person, entity or organisation who is going to use the domain (excluding 'leasing') and have undergone verification by a professional authority approved by ICANN *and* the registry, to safeguard the integrity and purposes of the registry. Failure to gain this independent verification will result in the *cancellation* of the domain registration.

These terms would come into immediate effect, but Conditions 1 and 2 would only apply to all new registrations or renewals. Condition 3 would apply to all .pro domains, whenever registered. The effect of these 3 clauses together would be to discourage speculators from continuing to register domains through proxy registrants since the domains would be cancelled within one year and would therefore have little or no market value.

While my views may not be popular with some domain speculators here on this forum, I just don't think .pro is the right registry to be invaded by speculators. It was always meant to be restricted.

Yrs,

Richard Henderson

 

[Domagon]

I didn't realize the extent that .pro has already been diluted - and it's been happening for awhile while ICANN talks a good game, but .PRO is still running and encirca is still registering .PRO domains; they're being more bold by the day with bulk .pro lookup / registration tools.

So heck with it - can't beat em, join em ... I just regged some .PROs.

I still hope ICANN does something, but not holding my breath.

Ron

p.s. all the .PROs I regged are domains related to subject matter that I have much knowledge about; none of them are of an adult nature.

 

[seeker]

I fail to see your points Richard, or why you need to propose anything to ICANN. Maybe I'll make some proposals as well
In any case, we'll be seeing each other on the registrypro forum.
I said it in another thread, and I'll say it again. ALL that Encirca is doing is allowing me to do what I can easily do with my lawyer in Germany or in the US completelly legally, but they are removing the red tape.
SIMPLE.

 

[mole]

Once a .pro domain is appropriately purchased, RegistryPro does not assume control over the use of that name. This includes the secondary market and licensing programs referenced above.

Looks like RegistryPro broke fart, not silence k:

The .PRO extension was one of the stupid decisions made by ICANN 5 years ago, and the company who won the bid is only trying to squeeze some revenue from speculators before going bankrupt, imho.

That, or ICANN can take back the .PRO extension, and burden its cost.

 

[sharename]

Actually, the company that won the right to run .pro was Register.com and they bailed over a year ago. Hostway bought the registry in December, 2003.

 

[lionheart]

Actually, the company that won the right to run .pro was Register.com and they bailed over a year ago. Hostway bought the registry in December, 2003.

"The .pro domain name will become a kind of "gold standard" credential for licensed and registered professionals around the globe." Lucas Roh, President and CEO of Hostway, on acquiring the assets of RegistryPro.

 

[sharename]

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