Verisign Declines Voluntary Participation in the .net Contractual Compliance Audit Requested by ICANN

ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) requested from Verisign (the .com and .net registry operator) a contractual compliance audit for the .net TLD.

With a letter dated 8 of January 2013 to ICANN, Verisign declined the invitation to coluntarily participate in  the audit. Verisign explained that it has no obligations under its .net registry agreement with ICANN to comply with the proposed audit. So absent such express constractual obligations. Verisign will not submit itself to an audit by or at the direction of ICANN of its books and records.

Verisign says that it will welcome the opportunity yo cooperate with ICANN in the future in any audits of TLDs operated by Verisign for which the applicable registry agreement contains sufficient audit rights.

It seems that Verisign is a bit defensive after the .com registry renewal that will not allow Verisign to increace the .com price for the next 6 years.