Issue 104 - 16th January

Press Release
Centrica signs up to NetNames Platinum Service

NetNames today announced that it has signed up Centrica, a leading provider of energy and other essential services, to use its domain name management solution, Platinum Service.

Centrica has recently undergone several acquisitions and is rapidly expanding into the North American and European markets. As a multi-national organisation with a large number of subsidiaries and well-known brands, including The AA, British Gas, One.Tel and Goldfish, Centrica has ownership of over 1,000 domain names.

These include, for example, house.co.uk, the website operated by British Gas which acts as a first port of call for anyone requiring energy and other home services, from telecoms to boiler maintenance. Websites form an integral part of Centrica's strategy across all its businesses of using technology to extend its relationships with customer by cross-selling them new products and services.

Centrica has chosen to consolidate all these names under NetNames Platinum Service.

Visit www.netnames.com for full press release.

First judgement under new Australian naming rules

The first dispute arbitrated under the new Australian naming rules found against the Australian Drivers' Rights Association in its claim for www.adra.com.au, despite it having operated a site with that address since 1998.

In July last year, the domain registration lapsed and it was quickly snapped up by another organisation, the Australian Dust Removalists Association.

The drivers' association took the matter to arbitration claiming the renewal of its rights to the name was not processed by the registrar.

However the arbitrator ruled this was not sufficient reason for the name to be returned and that it should remain the property of the new owner.

This is certainly not the first time a domain name has been lost because it was unintentionally allowed to lapse. NetNames Platinum Service allows companies to exercise an automatic renewal facility on all key domains.