To file IRP to halt .Web — Afilias plans

More slowdowns for .web domain name.

A lawyer for domain name registry Afilias states the firm plans to file a Cooperative Engagement Process (CEP) and subsequent Independent Review Process (IRP) ought to ICANN move forward with delegating .Web to Nu Dot Co.

Nu Dot Co won the auction to operate .web for $135 million. It was bankrolled by Verisign (NASDAQ:VRSN), and Nu Dot Co had an agreement with Verisign to assign rights to the domain following it completed contracting.

Afilias was one of the firms that was upset; it was the runner-up in the auction.

Donuts pursued the matter as well. It was disappointed that Nu Dot Co forced an auction of last resort rather than a private auction in which Donuts would get to split the proceeds. Following going through ICANN’s accountability processes it sued ICANN. A court tossed the case out since fresh TLD applicants agreed not to sue, but Donuts appealed.  The appeals court has yet to hand down its decision. Oral arguments will likely occur this fall.

Adding to the delays was the U.S. government, which launched an antitrust investigation into Verisign running what many people think is the best fresh top level domain. The government closed its investigation without taking action.

Afilias is asking ICANN to give it a 60 day “heads up” when it starts contracting with Nu Dot Co so that it can file for CEP.