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In this case the $60 wholesale price likely means it will be near the $70 (I believe that was the amount?) that Network Solutions used to charge when they had a monopoly. I think that sort of pricing is a mistake. It will create a lot of resentment among webmasters and they will fight tooth and nail if they ever do try to make it mandatory. It would have been smarter to keep the price more realistic and nearer to the industry standard rates.
I hear there is talk of additional services being offered to registrants however when I lease a domain I am doing so solely for the domain and not any additional services. Such things could end up being controversial as well. It raises potential issues. For example I have read that $10 from each purchase will go to a panel which is partially made up of major players from the industry. It seems questionable to be forced to hand over $10 to perhaps be used in ways which I do not approve of by competitors within the industry. Perhaps in ways which may be used against me. As of now this is not much an issue since it is not compulsory, however should it become so I would think this might raise some legal questions. I really wonder if ICANN has thought over such matters in detail. What kind of oversight will there be from ICANN or other bodies to ensure that the power and funds will not be used for anti-competitive activities?
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