[ga] Re: Open Letter to Mr Jeff Neuman from The Internet Challenge

["Richard Henderson" <richardhenderson@ntlworld.com>]

Dear Jeff

Thank you for your update on the investigations and action Neulevel have
taken in the case of certain registrations in the .biz Group 2B names
release. I appreciate the fact that you went to the trouble of posting your
updated statement on the ICANN public forums, showing Neulevel's respect for
the public and concern to communicate. (I'm only sad that ICANN's Stuart
Lynn is on record as regarding these forums as "a joke" - that was such an
unworthy marginalisation of a group of people who have made many valid and
useful contributions to the New TLD process.) I have to say that Neulevel
has thus far demonstrated a responsiveness that is in stark contrast to the
regime of Hal Lubsen's Afilias.

Which brings me to a matter which concerns .biz and also concerns Hal
Lubsen, and which further demonstrates the way registrars can exploit their
position to gain advantage over rivals.

Why did Hal's company only get 14 .biz 2B names via their list?

I refer not to Domain Bank, but to Hal's other little act : DomainPro. No,
... hang on a minute... I DO refer to Domain Bank, only I didn't KNOW I was
referring to it! Confused? So am I.

After analysing the entire Neulevel .biz 2B databank of 39000 names (don't
ask me how I have it, you don't want to go there), I have established that
Hal's "baby" registrar DomainPro submitted one of those extra short lists
and registered just 14 names in .biz 2B

As this is the man who as CEO is going to guarantee fair play in the .info
Landrush 2, this concerns me a bit.

Anyway, tonight I thought I'd register a domain with "baby" DomainPro just
to see what happened, and as soon as I clicked the buttons, everything
turned to Domain Bank and my new domain is stranded in Domain Bank Land, on
Domain Bank nameservers (it wouldn't let me use my own), and Domain Bank
billing (copied below, to illustrate the point).

This kind of bemuses me (no Hal, I did NOT say "amuses") because how come
Hal gets to enter TWO lists in the Neulevel .biz 2B (and presumably in
Afilias's "Abomination II") when most registrars are only allowed ONE.

I mean, there's the poor old honest registrar trying to get a name for
his/her client and... BAM!! ... Hal's first company doesn't get it, but
Hal's second company DOES. Mmmmm... THAT's fair!

I think the same "privilege" was afforded Parava with BONDI LLC - that .biz
start up company which operates their customer services from Parava - and
which only submitted names for ONE Internet millionaire and a Trademark
lawyer.

Rest of the world... ZZZZZZZZZT ... ceased to exist.

So now here's DomainPro, getting special favours with a mini-list ... 14
names which COULD have been submitted through Domain Bank ... would the
evasive Hal care to follow Jeff Neuman's excellent example and pay ICANN's
forum a visit to explain how come most registrars get ONE bite at the apple,
and HE gets two? Or, if I've misunderstood, he could explain.

To my new domain name bill:

Bought at DomainPro (except after the home page, every page was headed up as
a Domain Bank URL) and now lodged with Domain Bank and billed at DomainBank:

"Thank you for registering your domain name with Domain Bank, Inc. This
email is confirmation of the domain registration as outlined below.

Registrant:
Richard Henderson

Domain Name(s) - Tracking ID:
***bla***bla.com - 109876bla321

Administrative Contact:
Henderson, Richard

Technical Contact, Zone Contact:
Henderson, Richard

Domain servers in listed order:
DNS3.DOMAINBANK.NET 209.92.33.131
DNS4.DOMAINBANK.NET 209.92.33.151

For more information, you can go to our web site and review the FAQs.

If you have problems or questions please email support@domainbank.com.
Please include your Tracking ID and the referenced domain name(s) with any
correspondence.

Thank you,

Domain Bank Registration Services
http://www.domainbank.net
Support@domainbank.com
voice: (610) 317-9606
fax: (610) 317-9570 " CLOSE QUOTE. End of DomainPro's Bill.

Sorry to sound stupid, but THAT doesn't SOUND very much like DomainPro!

Why two lists in the .biz 2B and Afilias Landrush ("Abomination") II?

Why only 14 names on the second list?

Can we expect fair play in .info Landrush 2?

Richard

PS Hey Vint! We haven't heard from you on all this! Do you have a view? Is
the same business of "exclusive" registrar lists just going to happen all
over again in a few weeks time? Are you intending to preside over that? Are
you satisfied that ICANN has constructed a fair and equal opportunity for
every registrant to get their name? Can Registrars assume that it is OK for
them to submit private lists just for their friends or themselves?

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