ICANN is reporting, that a new operator for the net-domains
registry will be designated in March 2005. The whole process for
the net-domains is similiar to the transition of the org-domains
to a new registry. According to ICANN the current Registry
Agreement between ICANN and VeriSign, Inc. concerning the
net-domains was signed in May 2001, and will expire on 30 June
2005. The agreement concerning the net-domain provides that
ICANN, no later than 30 June 2004, will adopt an open and
transparent procedure for designating a new Registry Operator of
net-domains.
The final procedure of reassignment has been developed through a
process containing a public comment period. After review of many
comments about the net-domain in the public comment period, the
draft procedure was developed by the ICANN Board of Directors at
the 29 June 2004 Board Meeting. ICANN says, that a new registry
for the net-domains will be appointed in March 2005 after a
broad public discussion of the proposals. In former times only
provider could register net-domains. Nowadays anybody can
register net-domains. Net-domains are very often registered by
webmasters who see in their website(s) a kind of network. ICANN
accredited registrar Secura is going on to register net-domains,
independend of the fact who will be the new net-domains
registry. Secura will get a new contract with the new registry,
similiar to the contract with the new org-domains registry,
Public Interest Registry. Hans-Peter Oswald
