[At-Large] [Fwd: Request for staff research: registrar fees and practices]

[Nick Ashton-Hart]

I will send the request on and see about the feasibility of this.
Needless to say, conducting this survey would be a substantial
undertaking considering the size of the registrar marketplace.

This is not by way of discouraging you or anyone else; I just want to
make sure that this is not something that can be  done overnight; it
might require additional consulting or other resources, and this close
to the end of the budget year that might be complex. There's no way
that the At-Large budget or staff could undertake it, but then, this
would it seems to me be something of interest to many other
constituencies in any case, so it is likely that would not be asked of
us in any case.

May I suggest in the first instance that ALAC discuss this and
formally resolve on the question.

On 07/05/07, Wendy Seltzer <wendy at seltzer.com> wrote:
> There was support for this research among ALAC members.  Nick, what do
> we need to do to move it forward?
>
> I updated to reflect John's suggestion on transfer process.
> --Wendy
>
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Request for staff research: registrar fees and practices
> Date: Fri, 13 Apr 2007 17:50:33 -0400
> From: Wendy Seltzer <wendy at seltzer.com>
> To: At-Large writ small <alac at atlarge-lists.icann.org>
>
> Here's my recommendation for a request to staff for registrar research.
>  I'd recommend this begin with review of registrar websites, perhaps to
> be followed with direct communications if information is unavailable.
>
> Comments or changes welcome.
> --Wendy
>
>
> The At-Large Advisory Committee has heard complaints from individuals
> about significant divergences among registrars on fees and practices
> regarding domain name transfer and expired domain name redemption.  At
> least some registrants are not aware of these fees and practices at the
> time they register names.  Before ALAC can analyze whether these fees
> and practices reflect a problem or the competitive market at work, we
> would like to get more information about them.
>
> We therefore ask staff to develop a plan for surveying accredited
> registrars on their practices.
>
> For each registrar, determine:
> Transfer-away:
> Is there a transfer-away fee for registrants to take their domain names
> to another registrar?
> If so, what is the fee?
> Is the transfer-away fee disclosed to the registrant at the time of
> registration?
> Where and how is such disclosure made?
> Is the fee subject to change during the registration period?
> Can registrants actually get the authcodes required to transfer domains?
> What is the process to get the authcode, including any fees charged?
>
> Redemption:
> What is the redemption fee for an expired domain name?
> Does the registrar itself register names its registrants have failed to
> renew?
>
> --
> Wendy Seltzer -- wendy at seltzer.org
> phone: 718.780.7961 // fax: 718.780.0394 // cell: 914.374.0613
> Visiting Assistant Professor of Law, Brooklyn Law School
> Fellow, Berkman Center for Internet & Society
> http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/seltzer.html
> http://www.chillingeffects.org/
>
>
>
>
> --
> Wendy Seltzer -- wendy at seltzer.org
> phone: +1.617.418.3456 / +44 (0)1865 287203 // cell: 07785 550361
> Visiting Fellow, Oxford Internet Institute
> Fellow, Berkman Center for Internet & Society
> http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/seltzer.html
> http://www.chillingeffects.org/
>
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>
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>


-- 
-- 
Regards,

Nick Ashton-Hart
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