You may be aware that any person or business can now get shorter .nz domain names – for example, anyname.nz – in addition to all existing registration options like ‘.co.nz’, ‘.org.nz’ and ‘.net.nz’.
The Domain Name Commission is urging managers to act now.
The commission says you should already have heard from your provider about this change and what it means. They don’t want you to miss out on any special options available to you – options which will expire on 30 March 2015 – so read on for a reminder.
You could have preferential eligibility
If you already have a website or email address ending with .nz, you could be able to register or reserve the shorter .nz version of your domain name before anyone else.
To see if you have preferential eligibility, talk to your .nz provider or visit the Domain Name Commission’s anyname.nz site, which also explains how you can go about registering or reserving the new kinds of domain names.
Preferential eligibility expires 30 March 2015
If you are eligible to register or reserve the shorter version of your name, you need to decide if you want to do so by 1pm, 30 March 2015, the commission says.
If you don’t, then the shorter version of your domain name will become available for someone else to register. Even if this happens, though, your existing domain name will still be yours as long as it remains registered to you.
‘Conflicted’ names dealt with at anyname.nz
Some .nz domain names are ‘conflicted’, which means they’ve been registered in at least two different second levels. For example, you might hold the .co.nz version, while another person might hold the .net.nz or .org.nz version.
If your name is conflicted you’re able to go to the Domain Name Commission’s anyname.nz site and lodge a preference for who might get the new, shorter .nz version of the name. There’s no date or time limit for lodging a conflict preference.
Remember…
- Check your eligibility at anyname.nz or by contacting your provider.
- If you’re eligible to register or reserve the short version of your name, you’ve only got until 1pm, 30 March 2015 to take action.
- Registering is done through any .nz provider. Reserving is done on the anyname.nz site.
- Anyname.nz is also where you can lodge a conflict preference if the short version of your name is conflicted.
For more information about this change to .nz domain names and what it means for you, contact your provider or visit anyname.nz.
