netsol What exactly is NetSol's role in the Domain industry ?

[madcamel]

Is NetSol just another registrar like all the rest ?
I read some old article that said that NetSol gets the $6 from every domain registered and passes this on to ICANN.. Is this true ? Are all the registrars registering their names through NetSol ?


Thanks
Idan

 

[GeorgeK]

Originally, Network Solutions was the single source of all .com/net/org (they had a monopoly, they were the registry, and the sole registrar).

Later, to foster competition, their role was split, into a registry (which maintained the monopoly $6), and the registrar. The registrar component was open to competition with others (but had a huge head start), like Register.com, Tucows/OpenSRS, eNom, Dotster, GoDaddy, etc. GoDaddy recently passed Network Solutions to become the largest registrar.

VeriSign (which originally focused on SSL certificates) bought Network Solutions in the dot-com "go go" days. Later, VeriSign sold off most of the registrar piece of Network Solutions (keeping 15% if I recall correctly), but kept the monopoly registry portion.

.org was later put up for bids by ICANN. PIR won (www.pir.org). (NSI wasn't able to compete for that, due to an agreement with ICANN)

.net had a rebid recently, which was highly controversial. VeriSign "won" according to the report, but that report has been heavily criticized.

They have a firm grip on .com, for now.

 

[madcamel]

George,
Thanks for the detailed answer.
So today all the .com (and .net) registrations still go through NetSol?

- Idan

 

[GeorgeK]

No, no. All .com/net registrations go through VeriSign *registry*. Network Solutions is just one of 100+ registrars.

Registrants (you and me) use a registrar to register a domain name. You can pick Network Solutions, GoDaddy, eNom, Dotster, etc.

The registrar has the direct connection to the registry (.com/net/org/biz/info/us/ca/uk/de/fr/etc), to facilitate the registration. So, in a sense, the registrar is the distributor for the registry.

Network Solutions is a registrar, whereas VeriSign registry is the registry for .com/net (and others handle .org, .fr, etc.).

 

[ParkQuick.com]

Thanks for that really clear description, George. I was also a little lost on what their roles were since they split up again.

No, no. All .com/net registrations go through VeriSign *registry*. Network Solutions is just one of 100+ registrars.

 

[madcamel]

Thanks George, I think I got it now.

 

[Dave Zan]

Is NetSol just another registrar like all the rest ?
I read some old article that said that NetSol gets the $6 from every domain registered and passes this on to ICANN.. Is this true ? Are all the registrars registering their names through NetSol ?


Thanks
Idan

As an add-on to what George excellently explained, netsol is indeed now just
a registrar like the rest. And they're also shelling out $6 for every .com and
.net registration and/or transfer to the Registry.

I'm not sure exactly how much is for the other extensions like .org et al.

 

[actnow]

I believe Verisign's ownership after the sale was 10%.

And, I believe there are over 275 registrars???

Most of them are ghost registrars created by Pool, eNom, etc.

 

[GeorgeK]

http://www.infoworld.com/article/03/10/16/HNverisignsells_1.html

"while still retaining a 15 percent equity stake". Although, it's possible they might have reduced that stake in the time since that deal, who knows....

You're right, there are a LOT of ghost registrars, hehe. If we add up "real" ones, there might be a hundred or so. The exact number with all those ghosts would be at:

http://www.internic.net/alpha.html

(someone with more free time can count them)

Except for the .eu landrush that is coming up, I bet many of those ghost registrars are bleeding red ink, given the changes in the drop market. Expect to see that number fall, after .eu happens.

 

[actnow]

(Name Giant, I got whiplash from you moving this thread so quickly.)

George,

You are probably right about the %. I'm getting old and feeble. And, my mind is slipping
away looking at long lists and computer screens.

There were 473 registrars listed on the site. I remember when I was a young man
and I got into this industry, there were around 100+ registrars. :-D

 

[GeorgeK]

I miss those old SnapNames "State of the Domain" reports, that Name Intelligence used to co-produce, I believe. They had some useful tables.

 

[namestrands]

young man
and I got into this industry, there were around 100+ registrars. :-D

dont say that you will make me feel old. I remember when their was only one. . I even remember the days of Prestel and Telex and my first 1200bps modem.. that was state of the art. BBS's was the only way on to the internet until compuserve..

The internet was Text and Gopher.. My 286 PC was still running MSDOS and 3.1 windows was not even released..

OMG I am a geek

 

[slavahosting]

namestrands, looking back now, I bet you feel sad that once you were surfing a text only version of the web about 1,000 times lsower then you are surfing a graphical version now

 

[namestrands]

its all part of the circle of life.. just as I get more speed the websites get slower..

in about 5 - 10 years time the internet will be purely TV based the internet will change as we know it, it will be more about entertainment.. the next generation will laugh at us for using keyboards and mice.

 

[Name Trader]

I'll miss my 20yo IBM keyboard