Re: [wg-c] breaking up (names) is hard to do

[Milton Mueller <mueller@syr.edu>]

Kevin J. Connolly wrote:

> (B)  A registry is only a monopoly within the context of its TLD.  Inter-registry
> competition is a realistic possibility.

I agree. I even am willing to entertain the possibility <gasp> thatcompeting
registries could rebid gTLDs away from each other.

> And that's what this has to do with new
> GTLDs.  Either we bring down the price of SLD registrations, or we will not
> have succeeded in introducing competition into the marketplace.

That could be one dimension. But the price of a domain name is not a very important
part of having an Internet presence, relative to all the other costs. That's why
Ambler is not a lunatic for suggesting that competition may quite possibly bid prices
up rather than down.Many new registries may offer special features et al and be more
expensive.
Certainly the aftermarket for domain names is bidding the prices up. In an expanded
name space, the premium value of dot com would erode, but domain naming could become
a part of broader innovations. Competition should increase value, not necessarily
decrease price.

BOTTOM LINE: We need lots of competing registries. Some of them need to be
commercial, for profit in character. As long as there are non-profits available, why
would anyone complain?

--
m i l t o n   m u e l l e r // m u e l l e r @ s y r . e d u
syracuse university          http://istweb.syr.edu/~mueller/