Verisign Sucks?

Emboldened by Vox Populi's .sucks registry success, Verisign now seem ready to embark on the "legalized extortion" path.

Will IDN.com domain holders be denied the grandfathering Verisign promised for many years? Verisign avoided domain name community complaints about transliteration confusion by promoting exclusive cross-linkages between the assorted versions of .com (or .net). Now they've a contract and suddenly sing a different tune.

Classic bait-and-switch.

They assured us: "the registrant for a second-level domain name in our IDN.IDN, IDN.com or IDN.net will have the sole right (subject to applicable rights protection mechanisms), but not be required to register that identical second-level domain in any of the top-level IDNs."

Hopefully Verisign will reconsider. Dissolving the IDN.IDN link to .com (or .net) weakens Verisign's position & suitability as contracted authoritative registry for .com and .net -- making a future switch away from Verisign easier: the .com contract expires end Nov. 2018.

Verisign Lies?

http://www.verisigninc.com/en_GB/channel-resources/domain-registry-products/idn/index.xhtml?loc=en_GB
Verisign has now been promising for many years as follows:

"In 2012, Verisign applied to operate registries for eight transliterations of .COM and three of .NET (to the right of the dot) as part of ICANN’s new generic top-level domain (gTLD) which will allow Verisign to bring businesses full domain names in local language characters.

Verisign’s proposed approach for these new IDN gTLDs will help ensure a ubiquitous end-user experience and helps to protect consumers and business from having to register purely defensive domain names in our TLDs. In practice, Verisign’s proposed approach means that the registrant for a second-level domain name in our IDN.IDN, IDN.com or IDN.net will have the sole right (subject to applicable rights protection mechanisms), but not be required to register that identical second-level domain in any of the top-level IDNs, .COM or .NET as applicable.

In order to illustrate our approach, we have identified two use cases below:
Use Case No. 1: Bob Smith already has a registration for an IDN.net second level domain name. That second level domain name will be unavailable in all of the new .NET TLDs except to Bob Smith. Bob Smith may choose not to register that second level domain name in any of the new transliterations of the .NET TLDs.
Use Case No. 2: John Doe does not have a registration for an IDN.com second level domain name. John Doe registers a second level domain name in our Thai transliteration of .COM but in no other TLD. That second level domain name will be unavailable in all other transliterations of .COM IDN TLDs and in the .COM registry unless and until John Doe (and only John Doe) registers it in another .COM IDN TLD or in the .COM registry"
(end quote)

But yesterday in Verisign's Q2 2015 Earnings Report Conference Call, it all seems revealed as empty promises.

Jim Bidzos, Verisign Executive Chairman, President and CEO, stated:
"Based primarily on feedback from domain name community stakeholders, we have revised our IDN launch strategy. We will offer these new IDN top-level domains as stand-alone domain names, subject to normal introductory availability and rights protection mechanisms available to all new gTLDs. This revised approach will not require ICANN approval and is designed to provide end users and businesses with the greatest flexibility; and, for registrars, a simple and straightforward framework to serve the market. Finally, we believe this approach should provide the best opportunity for increased universal acceptance of IDNs. We expect to begin a phased rollout of the IDNs towards the end of this year. And we'll provide more information on our launch plans when appropriate."
Pat Kane later adds detail: they plan to launch without the cross-linkages they promised.

Maybe I misread, but it appears blatant bait-and-switch by Verisign.
Can the weasels unilaterally take away residual rights promised & promoted for many years?