Re: domain name zapping threat by Internic

[jya@pipeline.com (John Young)]

   The Washington Post, June 25, 1996. 
 
 
   Domain Delinquents Get Day's Reprieve 
 
      Firm Delays Suspension of Internet Service to Process 
      Flood of Fees 
 
   By David S. Hilzenrath 
 
 
   The Herndon company that assigns the basic addresses on the 
   Internet said yesterday it would delay until this evening 
   a plan to cut off the service of address holders who 
   haven't paid the required fees. 
 
   Network Solutions Inc., which registers addresses under an 
   arrangement with the federal government, had planned to cut 
   off the delinquents yesterday, but postponed the action as 
   it processed a flood of last-minute payments. 
 
   The cutoffs involve about 10,000 of 400,000 "domain" names 
   -- the portion of the Internet address that follows the "@" 
   symbol -- whose holders have not paid Network Solutions a 
   $100 registration fee. 
 
   Network Solutions spokesman David Gravff said the company 
   would suspend service for those domain holders that had not 
   paid by 5 p.m. on Sunday. The service of those who pay 
   between that time and tonight will be suspended, but the 
   company will soon reinstate it. The cutoff involves domain 
   holders that registered their addresses between Sept. 14, 
   when Network Solutions began charging new users, and Feb. 
   28. 
 
   Domain names may be held by companies, universities, 
   individuals, government agencies or other organizations, 
   and a single domain name might be used by many people. 
   People using domain names that are suspended would not be 
   able to receive electronic mail. Similarly, people would 
   not be able to connect to World Wide Web sites using 
   suspended domains. 
 
   The company two weeks ago estimated that 25,000 domain 
   names would be suspended, but it reduced the total as 
   last-minute payments arrived. 
 
   The company will wait 60 days before reissuing the 
   suspended domain names to new users, giving delinquent 
   users another chance to pay and reclaim them, Graves said. 
 
   ----- 
 
   For More Information: Is your domain name available? Find 
   out by visiting The Post's site on the World Wide Web at: 
   http://www.washingtonpost.com 
 
   [End]