Staff Reporter –
If you have a ‘New Zealand’ based website with ‘.co.nz’ extension, you could have a shorter version, provided you do the needful before the end of this month.
Domain Commissioner of ‘Domain Name Commission Limited (DNCL)’ Debbie Monahan said that the countdown for the Domain name option has begun.
“It is important that all those eligible to register or reserve before anybody else consider their options soon. More than 50,000 shorter .nz names have so far been registered or reserved. However, there are tens of thousands of people entitled to get the shorter version of their name first who are yet to take action,” she said.
Free Registration
Registering one of the new, shorter .nz names can be done through any .nz domain name registrar. Reserving is a free service and can only be done at a dedicated website set up by the Domain Name Commission – anyname.nz.
The Registration process will close at 1 pm on March 30, 2015.
“Most of those with existing .nz names – for example .co.nz, .org.nz, .net.nz, etc. – are able to register or reserve their name direct at .nz before anybody else. They have what is called ‘Preferential Registration or Reservation (PRR)’. If a person with PRR has not acted on their registration or reservation options by the set date, the shorter name will become available for first-come first-served registration,” Ms Monahan said.
Creating awareness
Others with a ‘conflicted’ .nz name will not be affected by this deadline, but DNCL is encouraging these people also to be aware of their status and options as soon as possible.
“Those with PRR can also choose to do nothing, which is fine. The most important thing is that they are aware of their preferential registration and reservation options.
Whatever option a person chooses – register, reserve, or do nothing at all – their existing .nz domain name will continue as it always has – provided the existing name is kept registered,” she said.
The Conflict
Some people may find that the shorter .nz version of their name is ‘conflicted’. A conflicted name is one that has been registered in at least two ‘second levels.’
For example, one person may hold the .co.nz version, while another may hold the .org.nz version.
Those with a conflicted name can make their views known at anyname.nz
“For those with a conflicted name time is on your side and, though you are encouraged to act as soon as you can, there is no specific deadline. For those with PRR however the countdown is 1pm on March 30, 2015 and the deadline is fast approaching.
Managing Change
InternetNZ appointed DNC to develop and monitor a competitive registrar market and create a fair environment for the registration and management of .nz domain names.
DNCL is an independent, non-government regulator responsible for overseeing the .nz domain name registration and management system.
Wholly owned by InternetNZ, DNCL’s responsibilities include managing the .nz domain name space, developing policies and procedures for .nz and governing operational elements of the management of the .nz country code top-level domain (ccTLD).
