Changes

===Vertical Separation===

===Vertical Separation===

The National Science Foundation signed a Cooperative Agreement with  [[Network Solutions]] (NSI) as Registry Operator and Registrar for the .com, .net and .org TLDs form 1993-1999. The registry agreement was renewed by ICANN on November 1999. Under the new agreement, NSI agreed to create a multiple registrar system also known as the Shared Registration System ([[SRS]]), which allows independent registrar to access the system. Independent registrars will also pay NSI $6.00 for every registered or renewed domain names.<ref>[http://archive.icann.org/en/topics/new-gtlds/crai-report-24oct08-en.pdf Revisiting]</ref>

The National Science Foundation signed a Cooperative Agreement with  [[Network Solutions]] (NSI) as Registry Operator and Registrar for the .com, .net and .org TLDs form 1993-1999. The registry agreement was renewed by ICANN on November 1999. Under the new agreement, NSI agreed to create a multiple registrar system also known as the Shared Registration System ([[SRS]]), which allows independent registrar to access the system. Independent registrars will also pay NSI $6.00 for every registered or renewed domain names.<ref>[http://archive.icann.org/en/topics/new-gtlds/crai-report-24oct08-en.pdf Revisiting Vertical Separation

of Registries & Registrars ]</ref>

In addition, ICANN encouraged registry and registrar business separation to promote competition by stipulating in the agreement that NSI will only be allowed to renew its registry agreement with ICANN for 4 to 8 years if it will sell its registrar business. In 2000, Verisign purchased NSI and renegotiated its registry agreement for the .com, .net and .org TLDs with ICANN. ICANN did not require ownership separation but implemented structural separation.ICANN explained, ''"there is little if any additional competitive value under today's market circumstances in forbidding the registry operator from also being a registrar, so long as it is done is such a way so as not to discriminate against other competitive registrars."''<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/icann-pr-01mar01-en.htm Proposed Revision to ICANN-VeriSign Agreements]</ref>

In addition, ICANN encouraged registry and registrar business separation to promote competition by stipulating in the agreement that NSI will only be allowed to renew its registry agreement with ICANN for 4 to 8 years if it will sell its registrar business. In 2000, Verisign purchased NSI and renegotiated its registry agreement for the .com, .net and .org TLDs with ICANN. ICANN did not require ownership separation but implemented structural separation.ICANN explained, ''"there is little if any additional competitive value under today's market circumstances in forbidding the registry operator from also being a registrar, so long as it is done is such a way so as not to discriminate against other competitive registrars."''<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/icann-pr-01mar01-en.htm Proposed Revision to ICANN-VeriSign Agreements]</ref>