The .ZA Domain Name Authority (ZADNA) has issued an invitation for the South African domain name and internet community as well as the general public to comment on review of the wholesale fee that applies to co.za, net.za, org.za and web.za.
The Wholesale Fee, the annual per domain name fee that a Registrar pays to the second level domain Registry Operator was last reviewed in November 2014 and the review resulted in a âonce-offâ increase of the EPP Wholesale Fee from R35.00 VAT exclusive to R45.00 VAT exclusive. At the request of the Registrar community back in 2014, the R45.00 EPP Wholesale Fee remains in effect until 2019. Alongside the EPP Wholesale Fee change in 2014, the Co.za Legacy Wholesale Fee increased gradually since 2015 from R90.00 to R120.00 today and R130.00 next year.
ZADNA notes that this review of the Wholesale Fee must not be construed to be an indication or commitment by ZADNA to change the fee upwards or downwards. Instead, the fee review is intended to better inform ZADNA if there should be any changes to the current EPP and co.za Legacy Wholesale Fees and if so, what those changes should be. There are several worthy arguments in support of, and against, whatever options ZADNA may determine as an outcome of the fee review process.
ZADNA have published an options paper here [pdf]. The deadline for submissions is Monday, 15 October 2018. Submissions should be sent to submissions@zadna.org.za.