Pemaquid Communications

As if we needed more evidence that going anywhere near Network Solutions’ Web site is a very, very bad idea (notice I’m not linking you to them) , word is spreading across the ‘Net that NetSol is using a highly questionable tactic to try to boost its flagging sales of domain name registrations.

Here’s what happens: if you do a whois search for “anyolddomainname.com” on the NetSol site, if it’s available, within seconds the registrar will reserve the name itself, meaning that if you search for a name, then decide you want to buy it later on from another registrar offering a better price (which all of them do) you’re out of luck.

Registering a domain name through Network Solutions has never been a good deal. They charge $35/year. GoDaddy, the market leader, charges about $8/year. NetSol has always relied upon its name recognition to attract the uninitiated to its ridiculously expensive service.

Here are some tips to keep in mind when you’re looking to find out if that cool domain name you just thought up is available for registration:

1. Friends DO NOT let friends use Network Solutions to register a domain name. NetSol costs 400% more than most other registrars, and they make it very difficult to transfer your name to another (i.e. cheaper) registrar at a later date.
2. DO use a a basic service like Whois.sc (Domain Tools)
3. Do not simply type the domain into your favorite browser to determine whether a name is available. A “Server not found” message simply tells you the domain hasn’t been set up to serve Web pages. It’s possible the name may be owned, but hasn’t been set up.
4. While no one has reported that other registrars, like GoDaddy or Register.com, have copied NetSol’s tactics, remember that there’s no guarantee they won’t in the future. I kinda doubt GoDaddy will resort to this, because they’ve got a good thing going with their name registration business. Register.com? It could happen.
5. If you were unlucky enough to search for a name on NetSol, only to have them reserve the name before you could buy it @ GoDaddy, take heart - Network Solutions isn’t actually buying the name, they are setting it aside for a 5-day grace period under a byzantine practice called domain tasting. Simply wait the five days, then surf on over to GoDaddy, or other reasonably priced registrars, and pick up the name after NetSol releases it. Problem is, you have to hope that no one else decides to buy it from NetSol in the meantime which, unfortunately, is possible.

What does the developer community think of NetSol’s latest breath taking display of customer care? You guessed it. People are using NetSol’s name registration system against them to make a statement. As of this writing, recently-searched domain names included www.networksolutionsislame.com. (And that’s one of the milder ones.)

Why don’t they simply lower their prices to be more competitive, you say? That is indeed a Great Mystery.

More information:

Network Solutions Stands by Name Policy

Domain Registrar Network Solutions Front Running On Whois Searches

Network Solutions Registers Evey Domain Name Checked

Network Solutions Responds to Front Running Accusations