Re: [registrars] WLS Issue of Registrars Hoarding Names

[Patrick <dnso-reg@gandi.net>]

On Mon, Jul 22, 2002 at 11:28:31PM +0530, Bhavin Turakhia took time to write:
> There is one more sensitive issue that I am unaware of having been
> discussed.
> 
> * If Registrar A has xyz.com
> * Registrar B buys a WLS on xyz.com
> * Registrar A gets notified (or finds out) about the WLS and realises
> that the name is a desired name and that someone is willing to pay a
> certain sum of money for it
> * The current owner decides not to renew xyz.com
> * At this stage what prevents REGISTRAR A from NOT LETTING the name
> expire and renewing it directly for the purpose of reselling it to the
> party desiring the same

The problem is exactly the same right now, not worse.
Right now, you just need to watch whois queries made to domain names
you handle. With those it is easy to see I think which domain names
are valuable or not. After that, of course, as a Registrar you are
free to use this information, or not.

And I am even not sure if some part of contracts deal with that.
I recall vaguely somewhere something saying that Registrars register
domain names for their clients (the Registrant) not for themselves.

But in any cases, the information is already there.

> Infact at this stage by having public information about the WLS -
> automatically acts as a NOTICE to EVERYONE that this name is a desired
> name. 

No, this is not what you tried to prove. Your demonstration starts
with the fact that Registrar A gets notified (if it does not, then
the problem you describe does not exist).
Registrar B showing information on this WLS subscription or not, does
not change anything to that. The problem is not public information.

> Since the current Registrar on record would also realise this, it
> automatically allows the Registrar to use his position to never let the
> name go and sell it for a profit. 

Ahem... is that not already the case ;-) ?

> In effect Registrar B would never get
> the name, and the Customer would lose money twice.
                                   ^^^^

How so ? Are people not aware that WLS is worthless if the domain
name is renewed ?

Patrick.