[ALAC] Verisign request to implement RGP for .name

[Alan Greenberg]

Verisign has submitted a Registry Service request to implement a 
Redemption Grace Period (RGP) for .name.

The general ICANN Registry Service page is 
http://www.icann.org/en/resources/registries/rsep and the Verisign 
letter is at 
http://www.icann.org/en/resources/registries/rsep/verisign-request-redemption-grace-period-20mar12-en.pdf.

The RGP currently is currently implemented for all unsponsored gTLDs 
except .name. The Post Expiration Domain Name Recovery (PEDNR) PDP 
recommended that all unsponsored gTLDs and all new gTLDs have the RGP 
and these recommendations have received Board approval.

The document submitted by Verisign on March 20th requests permission 
to implement the RGP on all second level names, all third level 
names, and on e-mail forwarding. ICANN officially has 15 days in 
which to act but at the moment the request is still pending.

As noted, under PEDNR .name would need to implement the RGP, but 
PEDNR was silent regarding whether this would be done at both the 2nd 
and 3rd level as well as e-mail forwarding.

As GNSO Liaison and Chair of the PEDNR WG, I was given early notice 
that this request might be coming, and based on the feedback from 
several ExCom members, I told Verisign that the feedback was 
positive, but any formal ALAC statement would depend on exactly what 
was in the Registry Service Request.

It is not yet clear when ICANN will formally approve or reject this 
request, but I believe that the ALAC should make a formal statement 
on it, preferably at the ALAC meeting next week.

The recommended statement follows.

Alan

=====================================

The ALAC supports the Verisign request to implement the Redemption 
Grace Period (RGP) for .name at the 2nd and 3rd level as well as for 
e-mail forwarding.

We note that the request states that the RGP is Registry voluntary. 
This is currently correct, but once the Board approved Post 
Expiration Domain Name Recovery PDP recommendations are implemented, 
it would be mandatory for .name. For most TLDs, the RGP only applies 
to 2nd level registrations, and PEDNR was silent as to whether it 
should also apply at any other levels.

The ALAC applauds Verisign for taking the initiative to begin 
implementation of the RPG for .name prior to it being formally 
required, and is particularly pleased that they have chosen to 
implement it at all levels at which registrations are made.