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 years if it sells its registrar business.<ref>[http://archive.icann.org/en/nsi/nsi-registry-agreement-04nov99.htm ICANN-NSI Registry Agreement]</ref> In 2000, [[Verisign]] purchased NSI and re-negotiated 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> <ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/about/agreements/registries/verisign Revised VeriSign Registry Agreements April 16, 2001]</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 years if it sells its registrar business.<ref>[http://archive.icann.org/en/nsi/nsi-registry-agreement-04nov99.htm ICANN-NSI Registry Agreement]</ref> In 2000, [[Verisign]] purchased NSI and re-negotiated 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> <ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/about/agreements/registries/verisign Revised VeriSign Registry Agreements April 16, 2001]</ref> |