The new transfer service is for domain name owners who want to
switch to a new ISP or registration agent but encounter
difficulties. Nominet will make the change for a £15 fee, provided
the user has paid Nominet the registration or renewal fees for
the.uk domain name.
The service, Nominet says, is designed to prevent certain
registration agents from stopping domain name owners moving their
domains to alternative agents, a problem which many have
encountered.
Another new development, reflected in its new terms and
conditions which come into effect on 3rd February 2003, is a change
to the WHOIS database – the record of all .uk registrants.
Under the new rules, non-trading individuals who do not want
their details published on WHOIS are given the option to opt-out of
the scheme.
According to Nominet UK, non-trading individuals eligible to
opt-out "comprise those who are not using or intending to use their
domain name in the course of a business, trade or profession."
Finally, under the new terms and conditions, the registration
period for .uk domains will be two years from the date of
registration. Users will be able to renew the registration of their
domain name for further periods of two years, subject to a renewal
fee.
Registration will be suspended for at least six weeks, if
Nominet does not receive the fee within 30 days of sending a
notice. During the suspension period, domain name owners will not
be able to use or transfer their web addresses.
