The new transfer service is for domain name owners who want to switch to a new ISP or registration agent but encounter difficulties. Nominet will make the change for a £15 fee, provided the user has paid Nominet the registration or renewal fees for the.uk domain name.
The service, Nominet says, is designed to prevent certain registration agents from stopping domain name owners moving their domains to alternative agents, a problem which many have encountered.
Another new development, reflected in its new terms and conditions which come into effect on 3rd February 2003, is a change to the WHOIS database – the record of all .uk registrants.
Under the new rules, non-trading individuals who do not want their details published on WHOIS are given the option to opt-out of the scheme.
According to Nominet UK, non-trading individuals eligible to opt-out "comprise those who are not using or intending to use their domain name in the course of a business, trade or profession."
Finally, under the new terms and conditions, the registration period for .uk domains will be two years from the date of registration. Users will be able to renew the registration of their domain name for further periods of two years, subject to a renewal fee.
Registration will be suspended for at least six weeks, if Nominet does not receive the fee within 30 days of sending a notice. During the suspension period, domain name owners will not be able to use or transfer their web addresses.