In 2000, [[Verisign]] purchased Network Solutions for $16 billion. Verisign decided to sell its' registrar business to Pivotal Private for $100 million to concentrate on its registry business.<ref>[http://www.marketwatch.com/story/verisign-sells-domain-registrar-business-for-100-mln VeriSign selling domain registrar business]</ref> This move enabled Verisign to re-negotiate it's registry agreement with ICANN. On April 16, 2001, a Revised Registry Agreement for .com, .net and .org was adopted. Number 23 (C) Fair Treatment of ICANN-Accredited Registrars on the revised agreement stipulated, ''"Registry Operator shall not act as a registrar with respect to the Registry TLD. This shall not preclude Registry Operator from registering names within the domain of the Registry TLD in compliance with Section 24. This also shall not preclude an affiliate (including wholly-owned subsidiaries) of Registry Operator from acting as a registrar with respect to the Registry TLD, provided that Registry Operator complies with the provisions of Subsection 23(E)."'' | In 2000, [[Verisign]] purchased Network Solutions for $16 billion. Verisign decided to sell its' registrar business to Pivotal Private for $100 million to concentrate on its registry business.<ref>[http://www.marketwatch.com/story/verisign-sells-domain-registrar-business-for-100-mln VeriSign selling domain registrar business]</ref> This move enabled Verisign to re-negotiate it's registry agreement with ICANN. On April 16, 2001, a Revised Registry Agreement for .com, .net and .org was adopted. Number 23 (C) Fair Treatment of ICANN-Accredited Registrars on the revised agreement stipulated, ''"Registry Operator shall not act as a registrar with respect to the Registry TLD. This shall not preclude Registry Operator from registering names within the domain of the Registry TLD in compliance with Section 24. This also shall not preclude an affiliate (including wholly-owned subsidiaries) of Registry Operator from acting as a registrar with respect to the Registry TLD, provided that Registry Operator complies with the provisions of Subsection 23(E)."'' |