Verisign
A US internet infrastructure and domain name registration services company that operates the registries for the .com and .net top-level domains.
Core Facts
Timeline (last 90 days)
The HN discussion has only 8 comments, and the case information is limited.
Verisign faces a consumer class action over its .com domain registration business, accused of using its exclusive registry management authority to maintain registration prices above competitive market levels.
Ordinary users buy domains from registrars, and registrars in turn purchase domain registrations from registries (such as Verisign) at wholesale prices.
Under the cooperative agreement between Verisign and the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), Verisign's status as the .com registry is exclusive.
Historically, the NTIA-Verisign cooperative agreement set a cap on .com wholesale price increases (such as no more than 7% per year).
After the 2018 revision, the .com wholesale price controls in the NTIA-Verisign cooperative agreement were removed, allowing Verisign to set prices freely according to market conditions (though still subject to indirect constraints from ICANN).
The plaintiffs may invoke Section 2 of the Sherman Antitrust Act (monopolization) or state consumer protection laws as substantive legal claims.
A consumer class action has been filed against the .com registry operated by Verisign, with details on the page of plaintiff law firm Hagens Berman.
The .com and .net domain names managed by Verisign are typically released in batches within a few fixed time windows each day in UTC after the Pending Delete phase ends.
gTLDs such as .com are operated by registry operators like Verisign, but must comply with the unified policy framework established by ICANN, including UDRP, registrar accreditation systems, and consumer protection standards.
4 more timeline events
All Facts (13)
Verisign is the registry operator of the .name top-level domain
65%UnverifiedThe HN discussion has only 8 comments, and the case information is limited.
50%UnverifiedOrdinary users buy domains from registrars, and registrars in turn purchase domain registrations from registries (such as Verisign) at wholesale prices.
50%UnverifiedUnder the cooperative agreement between Verisign and the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), Verisign's status as the .com registry is exclusive.
50%UnverifiedHistorically, the NTIA-Verisign cooperative agreement set a cap on .com wholesale price increases (such as no more than 7% per year).
50%UnverifiedAfter the 2018 revision, the .com wholesale price controls in the NTIA-Verisign cooperative agreement were removed, allowing Verisign to set prices freely according to market conditions (though still subject to indirect constraints from ICANN).
50%UnverifiedThe plaintiffs may invoke Section 2 of the Sherman Antitrust Act (monopolization) or state consumer protection laws as substantive legal claims.
50%UnverifiedThe .com and .net domain names managed by Verisign are typically released in batches within a few fixed time windows each day in UTC after the Pending Delete phase ends.
50%UnverifiedgTLDs such as .com are operated by registry operators like Verisign, but must comply with the unified policy framework established by ICANN, including UDRP, registrar accreditation systems, and consumer protection standards.
50%UnverifiedVerisign simultaneously operates the .com, .net, and .name top-level domains.
50%UnverifiedThe article states that the operator of the .name domain is Verisign.
50%UnverifiedVerisign faces a consumer class action over its .com domain registration business, accused of using its exclusive registry management authority to maintain registration prices above competitive market levels.
50%UnverifiedA consumer class action has been filed against the .com registry operated by Verisign, with details on the page of plaintiff law firm Hagens Berman.
50%