When Network Solutions lost the monopoly on .COM domain names, prices dropped from $75 / year to as low as $3 / year. That’s what competition does.

Now VeriSign (which purchased Network Solutions) has wrangled themselves a new monopoly. Unless, of course, enough irate Americans protest.

Here’s a form letter. Go to it.

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Dear _________ (Congressman or Senator),

I am outraged about the recently approved .COM registry agreement between ICANN and VeriSign. This agreement is anti-competitive and bad for consumers and the Internet community as a whole.

The agreement provides VeriSign with the ability to increase prices by 7% annually in four of the next six years without cost justification. Furthermore, under the agreement, VeriSign’s monopoly would run in perpetuity as the agreement would automatically renew without the opportunity for competitive bidding. VeriSign and ICANN should not be allowed to establish a perpetual monopoly without Congressional oversight and the opportunity for input from the Internet community.

As your constituent, I want to make you aware that the ICANN Board has approved this anti-competitive agreement on February 28th, 2006. The next step is for the NTIA to approve the deal. I urge you to bring our concerns to the attention of the NTIA.

Sincerely,

Bob Parsons

Full rant – A blog by Go Daddy founder Bob Parsons