[ga] Verisign proves there is money in e-business
Verisign proves there is money in e-business
Master of the web list: Largest registrar of Internet
domain names Financial Post
March 21, 2001
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif- ~/Snip/~ Through Network Solutions, Verisign has registered about 15 million Web addresses to date, generating a fee of US$35 for each, on a renewable annual basis. In addition, through its management of the Web's domain database, the company collects US$6 for every Web site any rivals register. The subscription-style fees give Verisign the security of an annuity. "The beauty of our model is that we have over US$500-million in deferred revenue," said Anil Pereira, senior vice-president of enterprise services. "We know that we're coming into certain revenue each quarter. It gives us wonderful visibility." Verisign also reaps small annuities from most companies that do business over the Internet, including every Fortune 500 player with an online presence. It licenses to them digital certificates, or virtual keys made from complex algorithms, that authenticate identities by linking with similar keys installed in all Web browsers. In the future, Verisign wants to use its digital certificate technology, and its control of the Web's registry, to profit from the explosion of wireless devices. The company is testing a service called eNum, which gives a single numeric address to a user's communication devices -- phones, PC, fax, personal digital assistant, etc. By routing information smartly, eNum can streamline the flow of messages. "It really is the business card of the future," Mr. Pereira says. Verisign also wants to play a big role in securing and managing wireless online payments, putting digital identifiers in wireless handsets.
/Bruce
|