DSTI/ICCP/TISP(2004)2/FINAL
Table 12. Domain name registration fees under .COM, .NET, .ORG, .INFO, .BIZ
among leading gTLDs registrars, March 2004 (in USD per annum)
Duration of the registration
1 year
2 year
3 year
5 year
10 year
Network Solutions
All
gTLDs
34.99 34.99 24.99 19.99 14.99
DomainsDirect (TuCows)
Domain Parking Account
14.99
12.49
12.00
12.00
12.00
Personal Identity
Account
34.99 30.00
24.00 24.00
Go Daddy Software(1)
.com
7.95 7.95 7.95 7.95 6.95
.net,
.org
8.95 8.95 8.95 8.95 8.95
.info
6.95 6.95 6.95 6.95 6.95
.biz
4.95 4.95 4.95 4.95 4.95
Register.com
.com, .net, .org
35.00
35.00
35.00
30.00
29.90
.info, .biz
35.00
35.00
30.00
29.90
eNom.com
All
gTLDs
29.95 29.95 29.95 29.95 29.95
Melbourne IT
All
gTLDs
35.00 35.00 35.00 35.00 35.00
1&1 Internet
All
gTLDs
5.95 5.95 5.95 5.95 5.95
Go Daddy's rates are promotional rates.
Source
: OECD.
New registrar services
Traditionally, the registration of domain names was a one dimensional service. The opening of the
gTLD registrar market has, however, brought tremendous innovation in terms of new services and
seamlessly linking value added services to domain name registration. There are several examples of new
services brought about by competition. One example is the private registration of domain names.
Network Solutions, Go Daddy Software and eNom all offer a private registration. The service works
this way. For an additional fee the Registrar will act as a proxy for the registrant in terms of the `Whois?
database'. Network Solutions offers this service with the lowest annual fee, of USD 5, among major
registrars. The same service from Go Daddy was charged at USD 12 per annum (USD 9 per annum as a
promotional offer at the time of writing). The advantage advertised to users is that their contact details are
not revealed in the `Whois?' database where they might, for example, be obtained by spammers. Another
example of a service which has been pioneered by Registrars, is the `backordering' of domain names. In
this case, Registrars will try to obtain an already registered second level domain name should the existing
registration lapse.
The leading registries all commonly offer value added services that seamlessly link a domain name to
other Internet services. The most common additional service is Web hosting. The largest registrars all
provide Web hosting services aimed at small business users and consumers (
Table 13
). Some registrars
also provide Web creation services by providing tools or professional assistance. A Web site creation
package provided by Network Solutions including a 5 page Web site, 2 e mail boxes and Web hosting is
priced at USD 11.50 per month. Users can also register domain names and instantly receive e mail
accounts with the use of their own second level domain. Tucows, via resellers such as DomainsDirect for
example, enables users to have an e mail address associated with their registered domain name and to have
a domain forwarding service. Services such as Web hosting and e mail were, of course, available prior to
the opening up of the domain name market. They were, however, generally not seamlessly linked to
domain name registration in such a way as to enhance competition across a range of services. The ability to
easily transfer a domain name between registrars has further contributed to this increase in competition.
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