Worst Domain Registrar of the Year Named

 Network Solutions Inc. recently reversed its policy of reserving domain names searched through its website. Who hasn’t visited a registrar and searched for a domain they wanted to buy. Most of the time it would of already been registered, but guess how many of those times were because of Network Solutions’ blatant greed and deceit? So, if you spent hours/days/years brainstorming for that unique domain name. Finally you have a working concept and went to Network Solutions to register that domain. Once there, you find someone already reserved it (5 seconds ago), when you finally find out who, it was Network Solutions, holding it hostage until you pay $34.99. GoDaddy sells a domain for $9.99, so basically Network Solutions not only charges more, it penalizes you for ever going to their website in the first place. A canned response from Network Solution’s spokesperson Susan Wade, “We’re making refinements to the protection measure and there are discussions about giving people the option [of letting us hold the domain name], but right now we’re holding it for four days.” Their reasoning for these unethical practices: to stop other people from doing what they are doing. Other potentially illegal violations by Network Solutions are just as bad. According to the Computer World article, Lary Erlich of DomainRegistry.com, a competing registrar, said in a statement:

“We have customers who say they want to transfer a domain name from Network Solutions to us, but when the customer tries to get an authorization code from Network Solutions, he might have to change his contact information — like his e-mail address. And the minute a customer changes his e-mail address on the Network Solutions site, it automatically blocks that customer from changing registrars for 60 days — a clear violation of ICANN policy”

The 60 day hold policy could be certain death for established websites. Who exactly is enforcing ICANN’s policies if ICANN itself isn’t doing anything? Recommended registrars are GoDaddy and NameCheap, equally good, cheap, and reliable. Source doc: computerworld

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