councilor.org
| Source | Steve Zeltzer |
| Date | 99/05/01/02:07 |
| /* Written 3:34 PM Feb 15, 1998 by jshell@netcom.com in igc:labr.all */ /* ---------- "U.S. Backs Privatizing Internet Nam" ---------- */ Date: Sat, 14 Feb 1998 20:52:39 -0800 (PST) From: Institute for Global Communications Subject: Clinton To Privatize Internet Names System To: labr.tech@igc.org Friday January 30 10:11 AM EST U.S. Backs Privatizing Internet Names System WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Clinton administration released Friday its long-awaited plan for phasing out U.S. government involvement in running the Internet's naming and address system. The 15-page paper, which could be altered after a short comment period, suggested ending the monopoly for registering Internet addresses held by Network Solutions Inc. Under an exclusive contract expiring this year, the company registers all names in the Internet's popular domains of .com, .org and .net. The plan also recommended creating a non-profit corporation based in the United States to take over management of the numerical address system underlying the naming system. That function is currently performed by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority under a contract with the Defense Department. The new entity should be in charge of the numbering system by Sept 30, 1998, with the U.S. government still participating until Sept 30, 2000, at the latest, the plan said. If the plan is adopted, Network Solutions could continue to manage its massive database of names, but new competitors would be allowed to register new names in the database. The plan also backs creation of five new top-level domains, the two or three letter codes at the end of every Internet address. Five new registries would manage the databases for each of the domains, but competition would be allowed among firms that add new registrations. |
Copyright (c) 1998, Joongpil Cho