Expiration dates

[Homer]

You know, I just find it insane that some expired domains just wont be released.

I know from a friend, who is monitoring several domains for quite a while, that (especially Network Solutions) registrars are a huge pain in the arse when it comes to releasing expired domains...

And then WHEN they release it (grace period) they hold it till they have enough domains to delete from their database (batch deletion...) which can also take upto 3 months!

This is just INSANE!!
I've just seen a domain that was due to expire Feb 2001!!

And the weird thing is, that there is no such thing as "the big boss" that controls everything, and who can give penalties for such things... So basically, registrars can just do whatever the hell they want!!

How do you feel about this?

 

[thewitt]

There are no rules when it comes to expiring and dropping domain names, and so ICANN is really not able to do anything - though they most likely would not even if there were rules, as ICANN is in impotent body anyway.

NetSol is of course the worst of the offenders, however there are others who are looking at the expired domain market as a real revenue source and so this will likely get worse over time and not better.

If you think of the 1.7M domains that are expired and have not yet dropped that Verisign (NetSol) is holding, and you understand that these are worth money in the new world - $35 a domain if Verisign's WLS system is approved - that's nearly $60M is expired domain "properties" just waiting to be milked.

Why would you release them for $6 a domain if you were Verisign/NetSol - and for those of you who think that these two companies are not really one in the same - wake up. NetSol the Registrar is a wholely owned subsidiary of Verisign the Registry. Verisign logos appear on Network Solutions advertising. Hello...

-t

 

[hypernatic.net]

OMG!!

Are you serious thewitt? $60M is a LOT of money!!
How can they just do this? This has to stop!!

 

[thewitt]

The Wait List Service (WLS) was proposed by Verisign for public/registrar constituency comment a few months ago. The registrars did not agree that Verisign should do this, and then Verisign made the statement that concensus was not required to move foward with the "pilot" program. Verisign alone would determine if the pilot was successful and the program would be rolled out. I suspect that their only success critera will be the profit that the pilot program generates.

ICANN is really impotent to stop them it seems.

If you care, you should complain to icann.org, and ultimately to the FTC, the Department of Commerce and your congressman if you are a US resident.

I suspect Verisign will roll WLS out regardless, since they really have proven that ICANN will not move against them based on their past behavior.

-t

 

[dave]

I have a domain that's been expired for at least 6 months, VeriSign still has not released it...

 

[remardis]

In regards to expired domains, I feel that there would be reason to have a maybe 30-60 day grace period after it expires. Sometimes expirations do creep up on people, but after that time frame, it is obvious that the person would not be interested in having this domain anymore, and should be released to the public for someone else who might be able to use this domain to have it.

This would be better than just having empty domains.

Eric

 

[nodehost]

Just say it everyone - NetSol sucks! They used to have the monopoly and now they don't. They need to figure out how to make all that money again!

 

[simply-me]

yes expiration is terrible, but what I even more hate is those domain buyers who are not using it.
I think that 50% of all domains are not used, when you buy a domain you should do something with it.

9/10 times when I check a domain in a whois database it says its taken, when I go to that domain on the net 9/10 times it's not showing anything or one of those irritating fake search engines with 10 popups popping up.