Verisign did a “blatant bait-and-switch”: Web.com

Firm doesn’t want to provide accounting information to Verisign.

Web.com is fighting back against a Verisign request for more information regarding how the registrar accounted for .xyz domain name registrations.

Verisign is suing .XYZ for false advertising following .XYZ boasted regarding its registration volume — which Verisign alleges was inflated by a Network Solutions giveaway. Web.com owns Network Solutions, which gave away hundreds of thousands of .xyz domain names to its clients.

At issue appears to be an agreement by .XYZ to pay Network Solutions for advertising at the same time the registrar was giving away free .xyz domain names.

As stated by Web.com counsel (pdf), it’s none of Verisign’s business how it accounted for the free domains on its books.

Web.com, which is not a party to the lawsuit, by now allowed Verisign to interview its COO Jason Teichman regarding the matter.

But, as stated by Web.com, Verisign increased the scope of its subpoena just two business days ahead of it interviewed Teichman. Web.com states that Verisign’s move to add seven topics was “blatant bait and switch”. Its attorney also stated that it informed Verisign prior to the interview that Teichman might not have knowledge of the additional topics.

In its opposition filing, Web.com also states “Verisign’s gamesmanship is particularly inappropriate given the glaring lack of relevance of the testimony sought.”

It’s one thing to question how .XYZ accounted for the free registrations, it argues, but it’s completely irrelevant how Web.com accounted for them on its books.

Web.com also points out something I mentioned previously, regarding how Verisign is ruffling the feathers of one of its biggest clients:

…the entire inquiry smacks of an illegitimate effort by Verisign—one of Web.com’s most significant business partners—to acquire useful competitive intelligence into Web.com’s business.

At a time when Verisign is seeing spun-domain shelf space taken over by fresh TLDs, is it really smart to upset domain name registrars?

The Verisign vs. .XYZ trial is scheduled for early November.