Feds Renew Contract with Net Oversight Body

FEDS RENEW CONTRACT WITH NET OVERSIGHT BODY
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com 8/16, AUTHOR: Anne Broache]
The U.S. government renewed its contract with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, effectively extending its grip on the administrative body that coordinates Net addressing until up to 2011. The new contract between the Marina Del Ray, Calif.-based nonprofit and the U.S. Department of Commerce covers technical functions related to the Internet domain name system (DNS) and is scheduled to go into effect on Oct. 1, one day after the existing contract expires. Technically, the agreement lasts for one year, and the government has the option of renewing it each year for up to four additional years. "In executing this contract the Department of Commerce has confirmed that ICANN is uniquely positioned to perform this function," Paul Twomey, the organization's CEO, said in a statement. The move appears to be consistent with a set of Internet governance principles issued last summer by the Commerce Department that ignited a worldwide debate. In addition to asserting its plans to retain control over the Internet's "root," the master file that lists what top-level domains are authorized, the Bush administration said it planned to maintain its supervision over ICANN.
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