01.04.2003

Staff and management of Domainz want to buy the .nz internet domain name registrar, which is being sold by InternetNZ as part of the shift to a shared registry system. 

Domainz used to be the monopoly registrar for all internet names ending in .nz, as well as running the registry. 

But after heated debate which split the society, InternetNZ adopted a shared registry model where multiple registrars can access and change the registry database. 

Companies that previously acted as agents for Domainz became registrars in their own right, taking their customers with them. 

This has left Domainz with between 30,000 and 40,000 unallocated names. The society's domain name commissioner, Debbie Monaghan, will contact the nameholders over the next six months to determine whether they want to stay with Domainz or move to another registrar. 

If they do not respond, Domainz will become their registrar by default. To encourage people to make a choice, Monaghan is offering an overseas holiday as a prize of those who participate. 

Details at: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3301486&thesection=technology&thesubsection=general