The US government has renewed the IANA contract to ICANN.
Full details in the official release.
The IANA contract renewal had been haunting ICANN for the last year, so closure on this key aspect of internet plumbing should be greeted positively in most quarters.
The EU, however, might not be too happy, as they’d already raised concerns about the bidding process, which was open to US entities only.
However with the threat of ITU and other bodies trying to muscle in on ICANN / IANA the contract award is a clear indication that while the US Dept. of Commerce might not always agree with ICANN or its choices it still supports it.
Update:
It transpires that Rod Beckstrom, who vacated the role of CEO on July 1st, signed the contract as his last act for ICANN:
My last act as #ICANN CEO- signing IANA contract in #Istanbul yesterday July 1. Congrats Jamie Hedlund, Elise Gerich & Team!
— rodbeckstrom (@RodBeckstrom) July 2, 2012
Which of course led to his satirical fake Twitter account making what could be its last tweet
I signed the IANA contract. That's right, me. I saved the Internet. Again. No need to thank me, you ungrateful bastards
— Bob Recstrum (@BobRecstrum) July 3, 2012
(Hat tip to George Kirikos!)
