Domain Name Registration Info

ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) is a non-profit corporation that is responsible for managing the assignment of domain names. ICANN accredits a number of domain name registrars, these registrars then delegate or lease the domain name to an end user or registrar. Once a registrant has leased or bought a domain name from a registrar they are free to use or develop it as they see fit. All registry information (the information you provide when registering a domain) that is associated with active domain names is maintained and made available through the WHOIS service (please see links section).

A top level domain (TLD) is the highest level of domain name on the internet. The further most right label in a domain name is the TLD. In the domain name ‘example.com’ the TLD is ‘.com’, with ‘example’ forming a subdomain of the TLD. Two main groups of domains exist, generic top level domains (gTLD’s) and country code top level domains (ccTLD’s), there are also other small groups of domain names.
gTLD’s themselves fall into two main categories:

Unrestricted – Those that are available for registration by anybody for any use, these include .com, .net, .org and .info.

Sponsored or restricted – A specialised TLD sponsored by a specific community such as .edu (educational), .gov (US Government), and .aero (Air-transport agency).

ccTLD’s are top level domains that are used by specific countries. Each ccTLD is assigned to an appropriate trustee which them appropriates its usage. There are often rules for registering a specific ccTLD such as residence in the country that it relates to. However a number of countries have licensed there ccTLD’s for worldwide registration, examples of this include the Polynesian island of Tuvalu making available there ccTLD of .tv, which has been used in the television industry, any person is able to register a .tv domain name. Other examples include .fm (Federated States of Micronesia) and .cc (Cocos Islands).

It is worth noting that registering a domain with a registrar does not give legal ownership of that domain name, but simply the exclusive rights to use it.

Domain names allow easily recognisable names to be easily appropriated to numerically addressed internet resources. In other words they simplify creating a presence on the World Wide Web. Instead of a string of difficult to remember numbers, easy to use and remember words and characters are used.

Once an individual has registered a domain name they are free to use it as they see fit, which often means developing it. This might be for personal of business use. Many people today have used domain names to establish their presence on the internet turning a domain name into a blog where they may seek to talk and chat about a personal interest. Businesses may also use a domain name in order to create an online presence, in turn making themselves more accessible to their cliental in an increasingly IT based society.

A market has emerged for the resale of domain names and can often be quite profitable this is known as the ‘domain aftermarket’. Domain names with specific keywords such as ‘business’ or ‘money’ can be particularly valuable. According to Guinness World Records the greatest price ever paid for a domain name was for ‘Business.com’ which sold for $7.5 million in December 1999.

Registering a domain name can often vary in price depending upon the domain registrar and the TLD in question. Here at PremiumDomainRegistration.com we seek to compare registrars and find available discounts of domain names, to help you make the best choice in registering a domain.