Rivals criticize merged NSI, InterNIC
     site 
     By Dan Goodin
     Staff Writer, CNET News.com
     March 22, 1999, 4:05 p.m. PT 

     update Just days after Network Solutions merged its Web site with one belonging to the
     InterNIC, would-be competitors are crying foul, and the government is promising to
     review the move to see whether it violates an exclusive contract it awarded to the
     Internet registry.

     The change, which was made over the weekend but not announced until today, means
     that Web users who point their browsers to "www.internic.net" are directed to Network
     Solutions' site.

     NSI also made other technical changes that are making life difficult for companies
     trying to compete with the Herndon, Virginia, firm. The move comes just weeks before
     NSI is set to lose it government-appointed monopoly to register the most lucrative form
     of Internet addresses.

     "We were not consulted in advance of this change," said Becky Burr, an official who
     oversees the NSI's contract with the Commerce Department. "We are reviewing the
     change to make sure it's in compliance with the cooperative agreement."

Under its contract with the U.S. government, NSI must seek written permission from the
     Commerce Department before implementing major changes in service.

     Even as the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has forged
     a roadmap for creating competing registrars, NSI's precise relationship with InterNIC has
     remained unclear. Under an exclusive contract with the Commerce Department, NSI
     maintains InterNIC, which provides "bare bones" registry services to Internet service
     providers and other firms with advanced technical skills.

     But NSI and a raft of other companies also provide enhanced "registrar" services aimed
                            at people with little or no technical knowledge.
                            The merging of the two Web sites means that
                            customers seeking out InterNIC will
                            automatically be connected to NSI's Web site,
                            giving the company a leg up on competitors. 

                            "The concern is that customers will be
                            shepherded to Network Solutions' services
                            and products in preference to the ISP that has
                            the customer," said Richard Forman, president
                            of Register.com, a registrar company vying to
                            compete with NSI. 

                            NSI implemented the change to make it easier
                            for end users to register sites, company
                            spokeswoman Cheryl Regan said. She added
                            that those scaled-down services available on
                            the InterNIC site are still available by accessing
                            Network Solutions' site. "It's really just a new
                            face to improve the customer experience," she
                            said. 

                            Under its contract with the U.S. government,
                            NSI owns the contents of the InterNIC
                            database. It appears that the government
                            owns the InterNIC trademark, meaning that
                            only it could object to NSI's move. 

     NSI also removed Telnet access to the InterNIC WhoIs database, which registries use to
     tell customers if a domain name is available. The change, which was not announced,
     made life difficult for registries that use programs to automatically sift through the
     database. 

     Within the next few weeks, ICANN will require NSI to open its database to five authorized
     companies so they can compete with NSI on more equal footing. After a trial run, ICANN
     is expected to make the database available to any company that qualifies for
     accreditation. 

     Even after the plan is in fully implemented, NSI will still maintain the master database and
     will receive a small percentage of the fees collected by competitors.