Changes

In 2000, [[Verisign]] purchased Network Solutions for $16 billion. Verisign decided to sell its' registrar business to Pivotal Private for $100 million to concentrate on its registry business.<ref>[http://www.marketwatch.com/story/verisign-sells-domain-registrar-business-for-100-mln VeriSign selling domain registrar business]</ref> This move enabled Verisign to re-negotiate it's registry agreement with ICANN. On April 16, 2001, a Revised Registry Agreement for .com, .net and .org was adopted. Number 23 (C) Fair Treatment of ICANN-Accredited Registrars on the revised agreement stipulated, ''"Registry Operator shall not act as a registrar with respect to the Registry TLD. This shall not preclude Registry Operator from registering names within the domain of the Registry TLD in compliance with Section 24. This also shall not preclude an affiliate (including wholly-owned subsidiaries) of Registry Operator from acting as a registrar with respect to the Registry TLD, provided that Registry Operator complies with the provisions of Subsection 23(E)."''

In 2000, [[Verisign]] purchased Network Solutions for $16 billion. Verisign decided to sell its' registrar business to Pivotal Private for $100 million to concentrate on its registry business.<ref>[http://www.marketwatch.com/story/verisign-sells-domain-registrar-business-for-100-mln VeriSign selling domain registrar business]</ref> This move enabled Verisign to re-negotiate it's registry agreement with ICANN. On April 16, 2001, a Revised Registry Agreement for .com, .net and .org was adopted. Number 23 (C) Fair Treatment of ICANN-Accredited Registrars on the revised agreement stipulated, ''"Registry Operator shall not act as a registrar with respect to the Registry TLD. This shall not preclude Registry Operator from registering names within the domain of the Registry TLD in compliance with Section 24. This also shall not preclude an affiliate (including wholly-owned subsidiaries) of Registry Operator from acting as a registrar with respect to the Registry TLD, provided that Registry Operator complies with the provisions of Subsection 23(E)."''

Sub-section E states that Registry Operators must ensure that its assets and revenues will not be utilized to advance the interests of their affiliate registrars against other accredited competitor registrars. <ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/about/agreements/registries/verisign/registry-agmt-com-16apr01-en.htm Revised VeriSign .com Registry Agreement, 16 April 2001]</ref>

Sub-section E states that Registry Operators must ensure that its assets and revenues will not be utilized to advance the interests of their affiliate registrars against other accredited competitor registrars. <ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/about/agreements/registries/verisign/registry-agmt-com-16apr01-en.htm Revised VeriSign .com Registry Agreement, 16 April 2001]</ref>

 

The separation of ownership or vertical separation was also implemented to all un-sponsored TLD registry operators to maintain registrar competition.<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/about/agreements/registries/unsponsored/registry-agmt-26feb01-en.htm Proposed Unsponsored TLD Agreement, 26 February 2001]</ref>

==References==

==References==