Domain Registration Related News
Australian domain policy faces radical shakeup
March 2005
The .au domain administration body (auDA) plans
to sell previously-prohibited geographically-based
domain names, as well as implement a host of other
significant changes.
Speaking at a special presentation to the Internet
Society of Australia last night, auDA chief
executive officer Chris Disspain said his
organisation will allow the registration of
geographically-based domain names such as
wollongong.com.au or wollongong.net.au. "auDA will
publish a list of all the names available," said
Disspain. In 30 days, the new domain regime will
become official auDA policy, he added.
The domains will be sold in bundles and can be
grouped under a parent name. For instance,
williamstownnorth.com.au, can be bundled with
williamstown-north.com.au and other variants. Each
bundle will cost a special AU$500 one-off fee in
addition to the regular fee, said Disspain. Those
keen to register a certain name will "still need
to have a close and substantial connection to that
name," as is currently required in the .com.au and
.net.au domain spaces, he added.
The sale of geographic name bundles will also
differ from the normal sale of domain names in
that once an application has been made for a
bundle, domain name registrars will place all
applications into a pool to close on a certain
day. Each winner will be drawn at random in a
computer-based process. This will differ from the
auction format used for generic names in which,
according to Disspain, "big business won every
time".
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