Changes

==Registries & Registrars==

==Registries & Registrars==

===Vertical Separation===

===Vertical Separation===

The [[NSF|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 in November, 1999. Under the new agreement, NSI agreed to create a multiple registrar system also known as the [[SRS|Shared Registration System]] (SRS), which allows independent registrars to access the system. Independent registrars were to 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 and Registrars]</ref>

The [[NSF|National Science Foundation]] signed a Cooperative Agreement with  [[Network Solutions]] (NSI) as Registry Operator and Registrar for the .com, .net and .org TLDs from 1993-1999. The registry agreement was renewed by ICANN in November, 1999. Under the new agreement, NSI agreed to create a multiple registrar system also known as the [[SRS|Shared Registration System]] (SRS), which allows independent registrars to access the system. Independent registrars were to 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 and 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 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>