The government appears to back off four months after questioning Verisign’s proposed o.com sale.
A few months after a National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) official objected to Verisign (NASDAQ: VRSN) auctioning off o.com, an official says it’s no problem after all.
In December, then-Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce Adam Candeub sent a letter to Verisign stating issues it had with the plan to auction off the domain and donate the proceeds to charity. One of the issues was that Verisign would sell o.com for more than the maximum allowable price for .com domains under its Cooperative Agreement.
Now, Verisign has provided a letter dated March 30, 2021, from Nuria Martinez, Grants Officer at the U.S. government’s National Institute of Standards and Technology. She consulted with NTIA and the Department of Commerce’s Office of the General Counsel. They found that selling the domain does not require approval of the Department of Commerce, nor does it constitute an increase to the maximum price charged according to its definition in the Cooperative Agreement, she wrote.
The new letter has broader implications than just o.com. The original letter was seen as a potential harbinger of things to come regarding pushback against Verisign. Could this reversal mean that the new administration won’t pay much attention to the .com contract?
Jeff Schneider says
Hello Andrew,
We feel that the new administration, will show favor to (.COM Centric Marketing) .JAS 4/21/2021
Gratefully and Respectfully, Jeff Schneider (CONTACT GROUP} Metal Tiger, Former ( Rockefeller I.B.E.C. Marketing Analyst/Strategist) (Licensed C.B.O.E. Commodity Hedge Strategist) ( Domain Master) ( UseBiz.com )
Mark Thorpe says
The new administration has bigger things to worry about at this point in time.
John says
Like how much money interested parties give to the Democratic party and Democratic politicians, for instance?
Mark Thorpe says
No political party in the world walks a straight line.
Covid, vaccines and the economy are priority right now, not Verisign or the stock market.
John says
Don’t get me wrong. Both parties are the problem and are evil. The two party duopoly is one big corporatist “uniparty” serving the same interests of the same rich and powerful who own and pay them both, while fighting over minor differences and who gets to sit in the driver’s seat.
Covid is full of corruption and lying; the “vaccines” are dangerous and experimental, but it seems you are the kind of person who is duped and deceived by mainstream media and the “powers that be” about them; and as far as the “economy” goes, that is always an issue, and the issues involved with domain names, registries, the regulation thereof, lobbying, bribery and the treatment of businesses participating in such industries – and most especially the implications of such treatment – is most certainly relevant.
John says
PS: since it may not be obvious, “vaccines” is in quotes because it is a PR lie to begin with to even call them vaccines, and they are not even real vaccines at all, the mRNA ones.
Mark Thorpe says
I am far from being duped about covid vaccines, mRNA or not. We are all just test subjects.
The vaccines are far from perfect, but getting covid instead of a vaccine is a worse option IMO.
John says
Mark, in all candor, you still look “duped” and not just under-informed or mistaken from what you just said there.
So what I would like to ask is this: without doing any research, and strictly off the top of your head based on what you have been led to believe already now, please tell me exactly what you think the “vaccines” are going to or are designed and supposed to provide you with.
John says
“Could this reversal mean that the new administration won’t pay much attention to the .com contract?”
There may be minor differences, such as in decisions about such matters, but what illusions does anyone have about Biden, or Trump, or Obama, Bush 2, Clinton, Bush 1? All corporatists and servants of oligarchy, plutocracy and the establishment. And yes, duped and captured evangelicals, Trump too, notwithstanding how he upset the apple cart and was never wanted by the establishment or the “deep state” to begin with.
This is certainly a bad sign. At least Clinton opposed the “transition” of ICANN from US oversight. Otherwise, this would appear to be a sign that Biden will most likely do anything and everything that favors the rich and powerful and the “donor class” at the expense of truth, principle and the American people – as usual.
John says
The major issue under Amendment 35 – NTIA gave up all future regulatory oversight over Verisign and tied the hands of all future departments. Verisign will no longer be a regulated entity, because it can simply opt-out of regulation altogether and Verisign does not need to obtain DOC or DOJ Antitrust permission. An unbelievable giveaway from the Trump Administration worth billions and billions.
Specifically, Amendment 35 requires NTIA to obtain Verisign’s mutual consent to any changes to the Cooperative Agreement. So now Verisign is in charge of any regulatory changes and must mutually agree. Amendment 35 also says if the Cooperative Agreement expires, nothing shall prevent Verisign from operating the .com registry with ICANN.
Exact language from Amendment 35:
“Notwithstanding anything in the Cooperative Agreement to the contrary, the Department and Verisign agree that: (i) upon expiration or termination of the Cooperative Agreement, neither party shall have any further obligation to the other and nothing shall prevent Verisign from operating the .com TLD pursuant to an agreement with ICANN or its successor; and (ii) neither party may amend the Cooperative Agreement without the mutual written agreement of the other.”
In addition, the specific requirement that DOC approve renewals of the Registry Agreement as in the “public interest” was removed from the Cooperative Agreement.
John says
Thanks, John, haven’t seen one of your great, informative and useful comments in a while. You are like Batman, the John I cannot be, and the John we need. And when my comment gets out of moderation it will prove to be consistent with yours.
John says
John…
Your comments are often of such exceptionally high value that I wish you would make your profile stand out a bit with an avatar. It’s easy to do. Just go to gravatar.com and use the same email you use for commenting. Comments like yours are too good to let go to waste by not optimizing that.
snoopy1267 says
…..Just don’t start talking about 4 word domains.
John says
John please ignore the troll and hopefully you’ll do what I recommend. Commenters like you and comments like yours don’t just grow on trees.
Domain Ace says
Shorter domains are ALWAYS the better choice. Long-tailed domain promoters tend to have empty bank account and stinky breath.
John says
Thanks, Ace troll.
Looks like you missed my explanation of the difference between long and long-tail, so this is a great opportunity to direct the less idiotic readers to be enriched by that. PS – I’ll take a long domain like realestate.com over one like pies.com 24/7/365 and 366 in leap years.
“long vs. long-tail”:
https://domainnamewire.com/2021/04/20/car-warranty-company-upgrades-to-olive-com/#comment-2264709
I recently stopped using mouthwash for a while after learning something about nitric oxide, however, so you may at least have a point there.