For Nominet, launching .uk is all about the money

[Edwin]

Thought it was time to shine a light publicly on the elephant in the room. Please feel free to direct people to the blog post. Please note that comments are OFF and will remain off.

http://www.webmastering.co.uk/domain-names/nominet-uk-domains-all-about-money/

 

[getmein]

It's an incredible amount of recurring revenue - so as you rightly point out it's a peculiar omission not to have made any financial projections. For a number of reasons:

i) Gives an indication of what Nominet projects the take-up of .uk will be
ii) Gives an indication of what change Nominet considers (if any) there will be in existing .co.uk/org.uk/me.uk registrations
iii) Makes the question of what they need/want the money for, unavoidable

The answers to i) and ii) are of course only projections, but they are indicative of how Nominet sees the .uk landscape changing with the introduction of .uk. I'd be extremely surprised if gTLD operators hadn't made similar projections for their own extensions.

I think the purchase of VeriSign stock by Buffett is an good indication that successful registry operations are extremely attractive investments, in the private sphere. For a registry to operate under the 'unusual' structure of Nominet makes the answer to iii) even more important.

 

[Whois-Search]

More Graphs...

If Nominet is not prepared to produce a .uk business case let's do it for them...

Excellent work Edwin and the graphs really hit your point home.

In fact I think it is time for more graph's like this....
• How about a graph of declining .co.uk renewal rates vs extra registrations from .uk ?
• How about a graph of how much the Top 10 members stand to make from .uk?
• How about a graph of voting rights and or number of domains a registrar has?
• Which companies are the biggest winners in all this and who are the losers?

 

[monaghan]

Other than bonus & shifting off to the trust, what can Nominet do with the extra cash?

 

[getmein]

Other than bonus & shifting off to the trust, what can Nominet do with the extra cash?

Sponsor acorndomains :ds

 

[Edwin]

http://econsultancy.com/uk/blog/630...uk-domains-but-do-businesses-really-need-them

Nice!

 

[foz]

Other than bonus & shifting off to the trust, what can Nominet do with the extra cash?

Methinks Edwin is lobbying for free .uk's in the first right claim period. :grin:

 

[Edwin]

Methinks Edwin is lobbying for free .uk's in the first right claim period. :grin:

I'm lobbying for no .uk at all.

But if it goes ahead, then the proposal by Alex Blowers from Nominet that there would possibly be a free period certainly sounds better than no free period (and no surprise there?) His mention in the Roundtable was the first time I'd heard that concept aired.

 

[Retired_Member38]

I think giving people domains for free is the exact opposite of what should be done - its only going to encourage people to take domains they didn't actually want, and then they'll just auto renew forever.

If they want to open things up, why not charge people for them. Then they'll only take them if they actually want them - not give them a year of risk free trying to flip them on to someone else.

 

[jonbyrne]

If it is going to be free for the first year then you may as well automatically give it to the oldest registrant as it is going to be rare that someone does not want it for free unless they are unaware / do not understand.

 

[Retired_Member38]

I reckon we're going to be taking < 20% of the domains we're entitled to. Give us them for free and we'll take them all.

It really just seems counter productive for us to grab domains purely because they're free, when the guy who missed out on qualifying for it behind us, would actually have wanted/used it.

 

[markb]

It wouldn't really open up any new domains for people who don't already own them, as everyone would take them if they where free.

I thought one of the main pro points for the .uk by nominet was to make available more domains for people who aren't already on the net.

This is just one example of Nominet trying to change their mind as they go along to try to push the proposal through as easily as possible with the least resistance.

 

[monaghan]

This is the main problem, there will be no more choice in domain availability as the current owner will take the .uk, if they don't either a domainer or squatter will take the domain if it is worth having or it will remain FTR as nobody wants it.

I fail to see how this is increased availability of domains.

 

[scooter]

It doesn't. As websaway stated at the very begining, all you get is a mirrored image of what is already here.

All good names taken and double the scraps.


A pointless exercise other than to raise money.

.

 

[foz]

I'm lobbying for no .uk at all.

But if it goes ahead, then the proposal by Alex Blowers from Nominet that there would possibly be a free period certainly sounds better than no free period (and no surprise there?) His mention in the Roundtable was the first time I'd heard that concept aired.

Yes, Nominet are trying desperately to get the naysayers on board. Free for the first few years might just do it.

 

[grantw]

Free for the first few years might just do it.

...and a free Parker pen with every domain!

Grant

 

[websaway]

I think giving people domains for free is the exact opposite of what should be done - its only going to encourage people to take domains they didn't actually want, and then they'll just auto renew forever.

If they want to open things up, why not charge people for them. Then they'll only take them if they actually want them - not give them a year of risk free trying to flip them on to someone else.

I trust you are just speaking on behalf of yourself.
If nominet issue .uk it should not result in any penalty for co.uk owners and the fee is part of a penalty. I have said from the start that Nominet should give each co.uk owner the .uk and compensate for additional expense.

 

[Retired_Member38]

Of course I'm only speaking on behalf of myself, but it would seem common sense that if you offer people something for free, a lot of them are going to take it whether they wanted it or not.

 

[websaway]

Of course I'm only speaking on behalf of myself, but it would seem common sense that if you offer people something for free, a lot of them are going to take it whether they wanted it or not.

Something is not free if you should not have to pay for it in the first place.

 

[Retired_Member38]

Something is not free if you should not have to pay for it in the first place.

Well I think you need to be a bit more realistic. If .uk is going to happen, its going to run as a standalone extension. So you're going to be paying for these domains. You might get a free period to begin with to sweeten the deal and get the anti- .uk protestors to calm down a bit... but you'll be paying in the long run.