carju1
02-26-2004, 06:55 PM
Is it just me or are both ICANN and Veri-sign muddleing the waters here and merging a lot of different issues into one law suit.
Internet infrastructure company VeriSign Inc. (NasdaqNM:VRSN - news). sued a domain-name oversight body on Thursday, saying it had overstepped its authority when it prevented VeriSign from introducing new Web-address services.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers has no authority to prevent VeriSign from rolling out a search engine for users who mistype Internet addressees, VeriSign said, as well as another feature that allows users to sign up for a waiting list for desirable domain names.
"This brazen attempt by ICANN (news - web sites) to assume 'regulatory power' over VeriSign's business is a serious abuse of ICANN's technical coordination function," said VeriSign in the suit, which was filed in U.S. court in Los Angeles.
Unlike other search engines, VeriSign's Site Finder popped up on users' screens when they typed in the name of a Web site that did not exist. Technical experts said it could impact the stability of the Internet, and rivals said VeriSign was abusing its position as administrator of the database of ".com" addresses.
ICANN ordered VeriSign to temporarily shut down the search service in October 2003 while it underwent technical review. The reviewing body has not yet issued a decision on the service.
Other proposed VeriSign services, such as the waiting list and a means to translate addresses into non-Roman alphabets, have been unnecessarily held up as well, the Mountain View, Calif.-based company said.
Internet infrastructure company VeriSign Inc. (NasdaqNM:VRSN - news). sued a domain-name oversight body on Thursday, saying it had overstepped its authority when it prevented VeriSign from introducing new Web-address services.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers has no authority to prevent VeriSign from rolling out a search engine for users who mistype Internet addressees, VeriSign said, as well as another feature that allows users to sign up for a waiting list for desirable domain names.
"This brazen attempt by ICANN (news - web sites) to assume 'regulatory power' over VeriSign's business is a serious abuse of ICANN's technical coordination function," said VeriSign in the suit, which was filed in U.S. court in Los Angeles.
Unlike other search engines, VeriSign's Site Finder popped up on users' screens when they typed in the name of a Web site that did not exist. Technical experts said it could impact the stability of the Internet, and rivals said VeriSign was abusing its position as administrator of the database of ".com" addresses.
ICANN ordered VeriSign to temporarily shut down the search service in October 2003 while it underwent technical review. The reviewing body has not yet issued a decision on the service.
Other proposed VeriSign services, such as the waiting list and a means to translate addresses into non-Roman alphabets, have been unnecessarily held up as well, the Mountain View, Calif.-based company said.