When is Verisign's registry contract up for renewal

Sat Sep 20 20:45:09 UTC 2003

What happens when Verisigns monopoly registry agreement for .COM and .NET
expires on November 10 2007?

http://www.icann.org/tlds/agreements/verisign/com-index.htm

According to the contract signed between ICANN and Verisign, Zone File
Data is defined as

  13. "Zone File Data" means all data contained in DNS zone files for the
  Registry TLD, or for any subdomain for which Registry Services are
  provided and that contains Registered Names, as provided to TLD
  nameservers on the Internet.

A "wildcard" name does not meet the definition of Registered Name in
the Verisign/ICANN contract.

  6. "Registered Name" refers to a domain name within the domain of the
  Registry TLD, whether consisting of two or more (e.g., john.smith.name)
  levels, about which Registry Operator or an affiliate engaged in
  providing Registry Services maintains data in a Registry Database,
  arranges for such maintenance, or derives revenue from such
  maintenance. A name in a Registry Database may be a Registered Name
  even though it does not appear in a TLD zone file (e.g., a registered
  but inactive name).

Because "wildcard" names are not Registered Names, Verisign appears
to be in breach of their contract with ICANN by including them in the
Zone File Data.

ICANN can seek specific performance of the agreement by Verisign, or
seek to terminate Verisign's contract as the .COM/.NET registry operator
and transfer the operation to a successor registry.

IANAL, ICANN and Verisign should seek the advice of their own legal
advisors.