Domains 'Private Registration'

[oshta]

Ive recently acquired ownership of a forum whos .net domain name is currently registered with Melbourne IT.

Its up for renewal in march so looked how much they wanted for it, in gbp, £104 inc "private registration" so i dug around to see what that was about, and other than the fact its £62 (£20 for one year) without it found only this.

Why choose Private Registration?

Our Private Registration service masks your personal details so spammers and telemarketers can't compromise your privacy
Privacy Hide your details in the WHOIS
Protection Helps reduce spam and makes it harder for Telemarketers to contact you
Control Full management of your domain and turn private registration on & off when you like
Value Peace of mind for just $15.00 (USD) per year
Legitimate Ensures important postage still gets to you and any callers receive a recorded message

Looks like a long list, but is is actually just the hidden you whois data you get for that $15?

Given with 123reg with my current domains just opt out of whois that seems to be a lost $15?

Further more, 123 reg charges £10 a year flat rate (5 years is £50, plus one off £9 transfer fee) the ability to paid annually and still make a saving is quite attractive. As well as having the domain with all my others, with a uk company.

Just making sure theres nothing more to this?

Also, the forums fairly tame and i post a fair bit about myself anyway so maybe i dont even need it anyway?
(i dont post my address, but to be honest, if you really want to, more than enough to find me by the time you know my name, university, and course) .


Daniel

[Jay]

you could allow it to expire but there is a good chance it would be snapped up again.

[oshta]

you could allow it to expire but there is a good chance it would be snapped up again.

Im fully intending to renew the domain, as we would be lost without (theres around 500 window sticker out there with it on if nothing else ) its just a case of if im getting anything at all for the £40's worth of 'private registration' over and above bog standard registration and whois opt out with 123reg.


Daniel

[Output]

If it was me, for what they're charging I'd instead transfer the name to another registrar with better pricing - I don't have any experience with 123-Reg, but my recommendation would be NameCheap.

They have a WhoisGuard service which is basically their version of the 'Private Registration' that MelbourneIT has that would be free for a year with the transfer ($2.88 per year after that if you'd just be renewing the one WhoisGuard), their transfer pricing would be $7.99 for the year, but with the coupon code SWITCH2NC would go down to $6.99, with renewals thereafter being $9.69 per year as of the current pricing.

Funds can be added via PayPal, Google Checkout, or Credit (and probably Debit) Card, though obviously depending on your method of payment there could be fees incurred due to exchange rate etc. to USD.

EDIT: Having a quick look at 123-Reg, it seems to indicate on this page that they charge £4.99 per year (per domain I would assume) for .com/.net etc. whois protection - the reason the .co.uk domain has the opt-out privacy would be due to being listed as a registration by an Individual, thus exempt from having to show them due to Nominet's (the UK domain registry) rules.

[oshta]

So £4.50 ($6.99) for the first year with coupon (inc free whois gaurd)
Then £8 ($9.69+$2.88) for each year renewed (current price)
And they put there details into whois not yours like melborne it offer.

However what i don't get, if given in a non trade/profit site why can i not just opt out of whois foc?


Daniel

[Output]

However what i don't get, if given in a non trade/profit site why can i not just opt out of whois foc?


Daniel

I've edited a few extra bits in my previous post now which should help a little.

As for why you can't opt out of Whois for free if you're non-trade/profit, it's because .com/.net is controlled by a different registry (Verisign) and therefore has different rules (though these rules might have been passed down from ICANN, I'm not sure).

EDIT (Sorry, I should have included this bit before):

So £4.50 ($6.99) for the first year with coupon (inc free whois gaurd)
Then £6.26 ($9.69) for each year renewed (current price) ?
And they put there details into whois not yours like melborne it offer.

Exchange rates can vary, so I'm obviously not sure how accurate your £ value is there.

Remember for the renewal part that you'd need to add $2.88 for renewal of WhoisGuard too if you still wanted that protection too.

[oshta]

Dam, your right, i can (and have) added whois opt out for all my .co.uk but the one .com i own with 123reg i havent been able to. So that would be the same as the .net ! Cunning.

So there we go, now very glad to habe not paid £9 to tranfer it to 123 reg to find that out.

Might suddenly take up that suggestion of using names cheap after all then! Cheers.


Daniel

[Output]

Dam, your right, i can (and have) added whois opt out for all my .co.uk but the one .com i own with 123reg i havent been able to. So that would be the same as the .net ! Cunning.

So there we go, now very glad to habe not paid £9 to tranfer it to 123 reg to find that out.

Might suddenly take up that suggestion of using names cheap after all then! Cheers.


Daniel

You're welcome

(My previous reply has also been edited to add clarification)

[oshta]

Yeah, otherwise i guess i could just sack it and let everyone know!

Given my name is well know, as is that i do mech eng at loughborough, the name of my boat and where its kept (its a canal forum) also who my friends are and where they live (they're fairly well known, and buildboats with a company that bears their name, etc) as well as my age, even phone number if they look hard enough, email, msn, my dog and mothers maiden name, her job, workplace list goes on!

inCONspicuous as a fish!


Daniel

[oshta]

Looks like ive cocked that up anyway.

Was going to sort it all out tonight as ive not have chance before and it seems you cant transfer a domain if its within 7 days of expiring and its now just 4 days from said. Arse. Why would that ever be useful!!

Seems like im going to have to pay up £30 for a year (minimum period) and then wait 60 days and then move it.

Will buy without whois optout and then transfer in 60 days and add it at the new location i guess.


Daniel

[Output]

According to NameCheap, their automated system does not allow transfers when it is within 7 days of expiry, but they are able to initiate the transfer manually. So if you contact 'Domain Support' via the Live Support option (top of the page, above the 'View Cart' link), they should be able to initiate it (and if you ask them to apply the coupon code, you should still be able to get the cheaper transfer price too).

[oshta]

According to NameCheap, their automated system does not allow transfers when it is within 7 days of expiry, but they are able to initiate the transfer manually. So if you contact 'Domain Support' via the Live Support option (top of the page, above the 'View Cart' link), they should be able to initiate it (and if you ask them to apply the coupon code, you should still be able to get the cheaper transfer price too).

Cracking, got to them about it, and it seems to be all going through ok.