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Domain Name FAQ's from James Burfield Consultancy

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Domain Name FAQ's

What is a domain name and why should you register one?

A domain name is a "unique" name used to identify and locate computers on the Internet. Internet domain names provide a system of easy-to-remember Internet addresses which are translated by DNS (Domain Name Servers) into numeric IP (Internet Protocol) addresses used by the Internet.

An Internet domain name is unique and allows you to have an "identity" on the Internet.

Domain names are typically allocated by the domain registrars on a "first come, first served" basis - currently in excess of 100,000 domain names are being registered per month!

You should register your domain name NOW as in the near future most of the memorable domain names will have been taken and only obscure domain names will remain.

A domain name adds value to your Internet presence and is therefore of great value to your organisation. Remember domain names are not just for businesses or organisations - many people register names for their own personal use.

What does it cost to register a domain name?

Who are the domain name registrars?

A domain name registrar is an organisation that holds the central records (database) for all the domains they administer. They are often government owned or sponsored.

The central registrar for .com, .net and .org domain names is Network Solutions (used to be InterNic).

The central registry for .co.uk, .org.uk, .me.uk, .ltd.uk, .plc.uk and .net.uk domain names is Nominet.

The central registry for .gov.uk and .ac.uk domain names is UKERNA.

The central registry for .uk.com / .uk.net / .gb.com / .eu.com / .gb.net / .us.com / .de.com is CentralNic.

Although it is sometimes possible to register your name direct with the central registry you will find that domain registrars do not usually provide the other "required" services you need to go with your domain name. They normally deal with maintaining the central domain name database ONLY and you need an ISP to provide these other services (DNS setup / service).

In addition an ISP is able to provide the next level of services for your domain - including setup of a web server / web space and email services

Links to all other domain registrars can be found here

Are there restrictions over who may register a domain name?

One and One provide cost effective, managable and easy to register domains. We don't make any money from domain sells through One and One, we would just like to pass on our experience to you.

What do I get when I register a domain name?

The name will be registered with the domain name registrar (this is usually for a period of 2 years for new registrations).

Your domain name records will be setup on a primary and two secondary DNS servers - this triple DNS configuration is a more high performance and resilient solution as many ISPs only use the standard configuration with two DNS servers.

What details do you need to register a domain?

We need the name, address and contact details of the person or company the domain name is to be registered to.

We also need your payment details (credit card or cheque) so we can process your registration. Payment by credit card is preferred since we can process the domain name immediately - see here for details of the costs of domain name registration.

If you are a Limited (LTD) or Public Limited Company (PLC) and wish to register a .ltd.uk or .plc.uk domain we will also require your company registration number.

I already have a domain name registered - can I transfer my domain to you?

Of course you can - we charge £25 + VAT to move your records onto our DNS servers - this covers the period until your domain name becomes due for renewal - at this time you can either continue to pay the registration fees direct to the registrar (and we will charge you £25 + VAT for the next 2 years) or we can usually transfer the billing to us in which case we will charge you the same rate as for new registrations.

We will need to know where the domain details are to be transferred from.

Your domain name records will be setup on a primary and two backup DNS servers.

If you feel this is something you can do then we recommend using One and One.

Why is it more expensive to register .com, .net or .org domain names?

These domain names are registered through Network Solutions / InterNic, a different registra to the other and they command a bigger fee.

I have heard a lot of money can be made from "warehousing" domain or registering other peoples names or trademarks - is it true?

Most people registering a domain name would want to choose a name which reflects their trading name or trade mark. However, care must be taken to avoid infringing the rights a third party might have in the name (either intentionally or otherwise). Even if several companies have traded with the same or a similar name for many years - as a domain name is "unique" - it can only be used by one (unless some form of co-operative agreement can be reached to share the name).

It is true that there is a market in "selling" domain names - some high profile sales included the domain name business.com and altavista.com (both selling for $100,000+).

We would not recommend that you register a name that is another companies name or trademark as this will often end in legal action and could be very costly to you (again there have been some high profile examples of this!).

Some high profile examples can be seen at:

• One In A Million judgment (Nominet)

 
• One In A Million order (Nominet)

 
• One In A Million appeal (Nominet)

 
• pitman.co.uk judgment (Nominet)

We will "only" register the domain name - we do not do a trademark or company name searches - that is your responsibility. However, we can recommend companies that will do trademark and company searches for you - for more details contact us.

Care must be taken to avoid infringing the rights that a third party might have in the name, intentionally or otherwise. This applies to both businesses and individuals. Although companies may have traded with the same or similar name for many years only one can use it as a domain name.

If a company believes that the registration of their company name, brand names or registered trademarks as a Domain Name by a third party constitutes an infringement of trademark or an act of passing off we advise that they seek qualified legal opinion.

James Burfield Consultancy cannot offer legal advice, but please contact Mogers Solicitors who have offices throughout the South West.

You may also be looking for information on the following:

>>Redesign of your website
>>Web updates and maintenance service
>>Intranet
>>Web consultancy
>>Web audit

One and One provide cost effective, managable and easy to register domains. We don't make any money from domain sells through One and One, we would just like to pass on our experience to you.