Nominet announces programme for evolving the .uk domain name space

[TallBloke]

From the nominet press release:

"A commitment to offering services to improve security across the whole namespace. "

...which was one of the problems with the previous proposal because it was suggested that .uk would have stronger security than .co.uk

So that's an improvement. Although I recognise it's quite a vague sentence that they've given.

 

[foz]

The release. I'm sure most UK businesses won't be on the ball and apply for their equivalent .uk. As we know Nominet can't send out emails Even if that happened they aren't acted upon, look how drops come about.

 

[foz]

From the nominet press release:

"A commitment to offering services to improve security across the whole namespace. "

...which was one of the problems with the previous proposal because it was suggested that .uk would have stronger security than .co.uk

So that's an improvement. Although I recognise it's quite a vague sentence that they've given.

Although if .uk and .co.uk end up in different hands I would say it will be worst security, based on the confusion as the public see it.

 

[TallBloke]

It hasn't been suggested how much a claim for a .uk will cost has it?

 

[domainseller200]

Wow... Just wow! My back seems to be running out of free spots for people to stick a knife in.

I am shocked also Edwin if I am honest, and I will just say this

 

[foz]

The date of registration is still only a proposal.

 

[foz]

It hasn't been suggested how much a claim for a .uk will cost has it?

Not as yet.

Over the next few weeks there will be a series of announcements with more detailed information and explaining how members can contribute.

They will probably read Acorn and adjust the releases accordingly.

 

[Nigel]

The scandal is that nominet have been promoting .co.uk as 'a great place to be' whilst working on these proposals. You've got to feel for anyone who took nominet's bait, and without any knowledge of the direct.uk consultation, invested a large sum on a .co.uk domain that might not predate a .org.uk.

I just visited the agreatplacetobe.co.uk site - its still there sucking people in. Their first piece of advice is 'Don't Delay' in registering your domain. There is no warning to check your registration date. It simply says that if you are a business you should go for the .co.uk domain. I think their actions are scandalous. These proposals, if implemented, might lift the cloud, to some degree, from our business but you can be sure there are a lot of people/businesses out there who have been treated appallingly by this totally selfish organisation.

 

[foz]

A new GTLD is looking pretty good now. Anything to get away from this mess.

Nominet board - Something is happening, therefore we should be doing something.

 

[monaghan]

Another thought about this accredited registrar status - Didn't Nominet get formed specifically to take the workload of managing the validation away from the original UK naming committee? If we pass the responsibility down to the registrar, then what will Nominet do other than run a few DNS servers and supporting admin servers for managing the name space and collecting pots of cash?

 

[arkvard]

On the whole I win from the proposals but I sold a customer a domain for £5k last year. They're a business and use the domain as it should be used yet some cheap arse domainer with the .org.uk will get his name under these crazy proposals, how can that be fair.

It can't be fair or right...How will your customer feel if he finds out whats happening now or when he suddenly sees what looks like his £5k domain one day registered to someone else but with the .co missing...

 

[martin-s]

I've never known Edwin to be anything other than fair and principled. He's a credit to this forum and it's sad to see him being slated like this.

 

[AssetDomains]

I've never known Edwin to be anything other than fair and principled. He's a credit to this forum and it's sad to see him being slated like this.

Agreed non of this is Edwin's fault. Shouldn't we be directing the heat at Nominet and coming up with ways how we can get this mess sorted once and for all ASAP.
Surely the only sensible solution seems to push for linking .co.uk to .uk and letting business choose which name they want to resolve

 

[foz]

Subject to consultation feedback, existing registrants would have a six month right of first refusal for the corresponding second level. Existing third level registrations would continue to be maintained and supported.

Six months, that's a laugh.

 

[Nigel]

It can't be fair or right...How will your customer feel if he finds out whats happening now or when he suddenly sees what looks like his £5k domain one day registered to someone else but with the .co missing...

And what about the unfortunate individuals who heard their radio campaign a few months ago promoting .co.uk and acted on nominet's advice. I know the campaign produced enquiries because our business experienced a jump in enquiries at that time. We put potential buyers on notice about direct.uk but I have no doubt that a lot of people/businesses would have purchased .co.uk domains in the aftermarket and will be facing a large loss (if their domain is predated by another) thanks to nominet. They wouldn't be allowed to operate like this if they were a financial services company.

 

[foz]

Another thought about this accredited registrar status - Didn't Nominet get formed specifically to take the workload of managing the validation away from the original UK naming committee? If we pass the responsibility down to the registrar, then what will Nominet do other than run a few DNS servers and supporting admin servers for managing the name space and collecting pots of cash?

Unsure, but if Nominet are passing responsibility on or down the line to "others" I would question their ability to maintain or improve the security and integrity of the system they wished to set out to do.

 

[websaway]

I've never known Edwin to be anything other than fair and principled. He's a credit to this forum and it's sad to see him being slated like this.

I agree entirely.

 

[Stephen]

.UK Nominet proposal - Version 2.0

I was a bit surprise not to get an email from Nominet about their new .UK proposal as I did subscribe to their update of .uk!
but delighted Acorn Domains has picked it up , thank you DomainSeller200.

Nominet sees the revised direct.uk product as an addition to the existing portfolio.

Nominet in my opinion have still have not got it!

A complete reversal it seems on Trademark holders, but I suppose we better wait for the detail
and then pass judgement if it is better proposal for the UK namespace,
although it looks like a more promising starting point.

And although £5 pa (not £5 per 2 years as for .co.uk) for .uk, what will happen to .co.uk and .org.uk renewal costs, will they come down,?

I think £5 pa is too much anyway for a non-profit organization,
which has all its costs covered anyway and still produces a £6 million pa surplus?

I do feel sorry that Nominet have used only the feedback from a flawed proposal,
where most of the comments were explaining what was wrong with it rather than starting a proper grown up debate on how the UK namespace should develop.

At least Nominet are doing another consultation rather than trying to force version 2.0 though.

I hope that this forum/thread can produce the intellectual challengers to Nominet about improving the proposal for the benefit of all UK domain holders
and challenge Nominet on all areas, to get the fairest way forward.

Here to start a small list of questions not answered by the announcement:

• What will happen to .co.uk and .org.uk renewal costs?
  
• What about .ltd.uk and .plc.uk, will they have rights?
  
• What if 3rd level registered on the same day?
  
• What if 3rd level registered where both pre Nom Registered on: before Aug-1996 ?
  
• What about pure 2 letter .co.uk that were only released after the .org.uk and could never have therefore been registered before the .org.uk?
  
• Let’s hope they don’t mess with only registrations after xx/xx/xx, which they did in the first proposal, which created 1 million .co.uk owners that would have no rights to the .uk,
  but would inflate the inevitable sunrise rush they have not yet mentioned?
  
• What is droped and same registrant re-registered it, it would seem harsh not to let them have the original date?
  
• Making 2 tiers of registrars if you do not introduce DNSSEC?
  
• For “Requirement to have a UK address for service.” will Nominet allow registrants to be verified for UK once,
  so portfolio owners do not have to respond to thousands of requests?
  
• For “Requirement to have a UK address for service.” What happens if they don’t prove it, will the .UK domain go into sunrise?
  
• Will Nominet be able to send out emails at all UK domain holders, will there be 1 email per domain or 1 email listing all domains registered to that registrar?
  
• For “Requirement to have a UK address for service.” How often will they check it and what happens on a no reply?
  
• “The consultation will close at the end of September 2013 and responses will be published in November.” – does that mean they are going to publish the responses in full this time?
  
• What about reserved .uk domain names, will there be compensation for the 3rd level domain holders?
  
• What are they going to do about confusion of a different .co.uk and .uk owner?
  
• When will the sunrise auction be held and how much do they think they are going to raise?

There will I’m sure be hundreds of such questions from the domainers here,
I would like to ensure all of them are raised with Nominet before they produce there consultation document on the 1st July,
so rather than fighting internally, I hope all can all put forward our concerns/questions about the new direction .UK being proposed by Nominet.

 

[TinkyWinky]

The legal cases could very well start to pile up and there's a whole load of different "class actions" that could come :

i. 2 character auctions - lots of money paid out there!

ii. .co.uk who have bought recently thanks to Noms own promotion of a greatplacetobe.co.uk - where a .org.uk will get their domain!

iii. .co.uk who have owned and have a website who lose out to .org.uk owner who has never had a site

iv. any 'special auction' purchasers over the past few years who have - in effect been sold a pup - as they HAVE to fork out more to protect their business.

v. any business that has to rebrand as they were mislead that .co.uk was here to stay!

There are so many combinations for "class actions" that legal cases will tie Nom up in knots very very quickly.

It's a proposal that's not been thought through outside of an inner circle who seem hellbent on making sure they get bonuses in the near future.

This in my opinion is pretty dam close to gross incompetence on the part of the board as it is: jeopardising the good name of ".co.uk"; throws the whole UK market into limbo for a second time; and there's still no actual NEED for any new domain!

In fact they are undermining their own case for it under the para headed up :

"Enhanced security for all"

".. while enhanced security features were desirable and should be promoted, this should not be mandatory, or restricted to one product. "

So clearly not a need any more then!

How can members thrown this complete bunch of clowns out?

TW

 

[foz]

[*]“The consultation will close at the end of September 2013 and responses will be published in November.” – does that mean they are going to publish the responses in full this time?

The Board further committed to publication of the consultation responses in which the respondent consented to publication once it has had an opportunity to consider all the views expressed.

Looks that way - http://www.nominet.org.uk/sites/default/files/Communique-June2013.pdf