<div dir="ltr">McTim,<div><br></div><div>Agreed. But becoming a registrar is fairly simple. We have +/- 20 in Namibia. Some do a good job and are active, others do not. When people approach us to become registrars they have learned a bit about DNS and web hosting. If they don't have the capital for their own servers, they use existing DNS/hosting services. From there they build their businesses. Some have gone international by adding in gTLDs to their product mix. One sees that they are hosting local companies and growing in the industry. </div>
<div><br></div><div>For us as the .NA Register, we provided a platform (CoCCA Tools) that allows small and large companies to offer rapid DNS implementations. Small scale, start ups can get on the system and use it after about 30 minutes of training. They are then able to offer this to their customers. Given that the software is open source, one wonders why the push is not to get more African ccTLDs to use CoCCATools or other open source alternatives (such as FRED). Eventually, if there are nationally based registrars, a few might want to become ICANN accredited because they see a value in doing so and will do it themselves. </div>
<div><br></div><div>My concern is the fascination with ICANN accredited registrars. As you imply, developing the dns related local industry is the important process. I would not be surprised if we went into any economy around the world and found that the number of non ICANN accredited registrars outnumbered the ICANN accredited registrars. So why don't we talk about developing national DNS industries?<br>
</div><div><br></div><div style>Ben</div><div><br></div><div style> </div><div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sat, Feb 2, 2013 at 4:15 PM, McTim <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:dogwallah@gmail.com" target="_blank">dogwallah@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex">Hi Ben,<br>
<br>
I am happy to have the chance to engage constructively in this thread.<br>
<div class="im"><br>
On Sat, Feb 2, 2013 at 9:04 AM, Ben Fuller <<a href="mailto:abutiben@gmail.com">abutiben@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
> Can someone explain the need for ICANN approved registrars in Africa?<br>
<br>
<br>
</div>If there were more registrars on the continent, there would be greater<br>
technical capability, more DNS clue, greater uptake of local/regional<br>
TLDs, more business (read profit), which leads to more registrars,<br>
which leads to more business. It's "a rising tide lifts all boats"<br>
kind of virtuous circle.<br>
<div class="im"><br>
<br>
>What does this do for the continent? With hundreds of private companies across the globe that have become ICANN approved registrars, what is stopping African companies from doing the same?<br>
<br>
</div>Lack of awareness perhaps? Perhaps it is percieved as too hard to<br>
become accredited when one can just become a reseller?? I think this<br>
is one question you could have answered by folk at the event!<br>
<div class="im"><br>
There are enough African companies with the capital to do so. What<br>
will a hand wringing session in Ethiopia do? Don't tell me you want a<br>
donor Programme.<br>
<br>
<br>
</div>I don't think a donor scheme is part of the plan.<br>
<br>
I hope there won't be much hand-wringing either.<br>
<span class=""><font color="#888888"><br>
<br>
--<br>
Cheers,<br>
<br>
McTim<br>
"A name indicates what we seek. An address indicates where it is. A<br>
route indicates how we get there." Jon Postel<br>
</font></span><div class=""><div class="h5">_______________________________________________<br>
AfrICANN mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:AfrICANN@afrinic.net">AfrICANN@afrinic.net</a><br>
<a href="https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann" target="_blank">https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann</a><br>
</div></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><div><br></div>-- <br>**********************************************<br>Dr. Ben Fuller <br><a href="mailto:abutiben@gmail.com" target="_blank">abutiben@gmail.com</a><br>
<a href="mailto:ben@fuller.na" target="_blank">ben@fuller.na</a> <a href="http://www.fuller.na" target="_blank">http://www.fuller.na</a><br>blog: <a href="http://www.fuller.na/" target="_blank">http://www.fuller.na/</a> skype: drbenfuller<br>
*****************************************
</div></div></div>