.uk consequences

[Edwin]

This is my very early, very rough "first cut" stab at drawing a few conclusions from Nominet's announcement.

I'd ask you to be gentle if you disagree or spot anything that I've boobed on - there's so much to read it's like trying to swim the Atlantic ocean.

A) .co.uk (older than October 28, 2013) have just gone up in value

B) .org.uk for which .co.uk exist have just plumetted in value

C) .org.uk in general has become the de-facto "third best" UK namespace extension where it might have been argued before it was the second. We will only know which is first a long, long time from now.

D) It is probably not worth drop catching .co.uk for which a competing domain already exists, unless they're "very good" i.e. if they would have value even if .co.uk becomes that second best extension referred to in C)

E) It is worth drop catching .co.uk domains where no competing registrations exist

F) It is unclear what happens if a non-.co.uk domain name is registered between October 28, 2013 and launch date, then the .co.uk drops and is caught. Do neither get .uk? Does the .co.uk? Does the oldest registration? It's an "edge case" that will affect very few domains, but it's still an unknown at present

G) We should know well before the 5 year decision period is up whether .uk is a huge hit or a big flop

H) .me.uk has gone from very poor to worthless

I) .uk decision is likely to intensify attempts to contact desirable .co.uk domain holders prior to their domains dropping - after all, if you can buy the domain before it expires, it would then qualify for .uk

J) WHO owns competing extensions has become much more important. For example, if it's a dissolved company, is anyone likely to actually take up the .uk option? There may be tiny windows of opportunity to drop catch .co.uk domains against "unlikely" other registrations - but it's a punt

Please add your own "consequences" to the list!

 

[Skinner]

I think will be a massive increase in people registering the .org.uk prior to .co.uk dropping if no other exists which will further put a nail in percieved .co.uk catches coffin. I read it as after the 28th Oct the oldest reg gets it.

I still think people will want the .co.uk for the forseeable future but many will see it the above way

 

[foz]

I see no pressure or urgency to use .uk, so the five years could be a massive hindrance to it's uptake or use.

 

[Nigel]

I think we'll see portfolio holders taking up .uk on best domains (maybe 10-20% of portfolio) quite soon and being prepared to pay dual fees on the best ones whereas the bulk of portfolio will stay on the .co.uk registration for a number of years and will be sold with the comment that this domain entitles you to the .uk provided it is taken up within time period allowed.

What do you think Edwin - and others? is that how you see portfolio owners acting on this?

 

[foz]

I think we'll see portfolio holders taking up .uk on best domains (maybe 10-20% of portfolio) quite soon and being prepared to pay dual fees on the best ones whereas the bulk of portfolio will stay on the .co.uk registration for a number of years and will be sold with the comment that this domain entitles you to the .uk provided it is taken up within time period allowed.

What do you think Edwin - and others? is that how you see portfolio owners acting on this?

I will claim the .uk if a buyer requests it. No point in paying reg fees if you don't have to.

 

[Edwin]

I will claim the .uk if a buyer requests it. No point in paying reg fees if you don't have to.

That sounds like a sensible way to proceed. If the "right to .uk" is watertight, it should be ok to advertise that both domains will be sold together - you can register the .uk 10 seconds before transferring both over. Should make the "package" a lot more appealing.

 

[foz]

So if gTLDs were the threat how is a transition of five years going to combat that? I would imagine a lot will be at the ready Feb 2014 (end users) hoping to get their choice of a new .uk, yet the return from the Registry will be not available/reserved?

 

[max_rk]

I think we'll see portfolio holders taking up .uk on best domains (maybe 10-20% of portfolio) quite soon and being prepared to pay dual fees on the best ones whereas the bulk of portfolio will stay on the .co.uk registration for a number of years and will be sold with the comment that this domain entitles you to the .uk provided it is taken up within time period allowed.

What do you think Edwin - and others? is that how you see portfolio owners acting on this?

I think portfolio holders will take out more than 20%. its not good idea to hide the stock from purchasers. Also good domains will get traffic, so parking will work.

 

[max_rk]

I will claim the .uk if a buyer requests it. No point in paying reg fees if you don't have to.

buyer may not know that you have rights to .UK. Public will not be aware of the situation.

Max Karpis

 

[Edwin]

I think portfolio holders will take out more than 20%. its not good idea to hide the stock from purchasers. Also good domains will get traffic, so parking will work.

Good point re. parking. There will be some tough timing decisions, but at least a 5 year timeframe in which to do so is dramatically different from being forced to duplicate your portfolio or give up .uk in 6 months!

 

[Edwin]

buyer may not know that you have rights to .UK. Public will not be aware of the situation.

As soon as Nominet publish the final final info in February 2014, then presumably domain sales pages can be updated with information explaining that the buyer will also get the corresponding .uk domain.

Assuming sales are coming from walk-in customers typing in the domains they're interested in, that should be sufficient for them to make an informed decision.

 

[TallBloke]

I wonder if the 5yr reservation period increases the chances of .uk being less successful? Would a shorter time period make .uk usage more likely to take hold?

 

[websaway]

So if the launch date is to be announced in Feb 2014 and say the launch is may 2014, I would think there would not be much development of new .co.uk domains between now and next may ( if they preferred to develop with the new .uk ) seems to me to be an unnecessary state of Limbo.

Why didn't they launch in January 2014 and be done with it ?

 

[cm1975]

I wonder if the 5yr reservation period increases the chances of .uk being less successful? Would a shorter time period make .uk usage more likely to take hold?

It will give companies time to transition from one domain to another, so they're not having to dump headed stationery, signage, etc. If anything, the 5 years could increase the likelihood of moving to the .uk, as companies can move at a time that is suitable for them.

Had it been 6 months, then they could have been heavily criticised for adding extra costs at a time when the economy is not at it's strongest.

 

[AssetDomains]

So if the launch date is to be announced in Feb 2014 and say the launch is may 2014, I would think there would not be much development of new .co.uk domains between now and next may ( if they preferred to develop with the new .uk ) seems to me to be an unnecessary state of Limbo.

Why didn't they launch in January 2014 and be done with it ?

That's a very good point with the 5 year protection window they have in place. seems no point in not letting us use .uk as soon as it's technically possible

 

[donreeco]

F) It is unclear what happens if a non-.co.uk domain name is registered between October 28, 2013 and launch date, then the .co.uk drops and is caught. Do neither get .uk? Does the .co.uk? Does the oldest registration? It's an "edge case" that will affect very few domains, but it's still an unknown at present

What happens if a brand new uncontested .org.uk is registered between 28th Oct 2013 and launch and then a day later so is the .co.uk – who gets rights?

The .co.uk domain registrant gets the right to the .uk.

from: http://www.nominet.org.uk/how-participate/policy-development/IntroducingSecondLevelDomains/qanda

 

[cm1975]

What happens if a brand new uncontested .org.uk is registered between 28th Oct 2013 and launch and then a day later so is the .co.uk – who gets rights?

The .co.uk domain registrant gets the right to the .uk.

from: http://www.nominet.org.uk/how-participate/policy-development/IntroducingSecondLevelDomains/qanda

Ah ha! So you can't register an org.uk domain after 28th Oct and get the .uk. Maybe not all doom and gloom for dropcatching after all!

 

[fish]

Most comments on this thread so far have been coming from a domainers POV.

I'd also be interested to hear from an enduser perspective, the upside & negatives, adoption rates, benefits etc.
e.g. If you are a new company just setting up and could reg any extension would you use the .com for instance?

 

[Skinner]

If the .com was available I'd use the .com first but since .coms in comparison to *.uk are 100x the price, I'd still use .co.uk (at this point) since its what the public expect.

 

[Retired_Member38]

Most comments on this thread so far have been coming from a domainers POV.

I'd also be interested to hear from an enduser perspective, the upside & negatives, adoption rates, benefits etc.
e.g. If you are a new company just setting up and could reg any extension would you use the .com for instance?

If I was setting up a "real" business in 2014 I'd be doing it on a .com. At least that way you don't choose the wrong UK and 5 years down the line you're on the worse extension. As who knows today whether the .co.UK or .UK is going to win in the long run.