Tag Archives: Kenya Network Information Centre

Domain Name Registrants, Domain Name Registrars, Domain Name Registry

Renewal Prices For .KE Third Level Domains Slashed In Bid To Boost Demand

KeNIC has slashed the registry renewal fee for third level .ke domain names until 31 March in a bid to boost registrations and reduce the numbers of non-renewals according to a report in Techweez.

The Kenya National Information Centre (KeNIC) found high renewal prices were the key reason for high numbers of domain deletions through a domain deletion survey in April 2019. As a result, registrants should see the renewal price of .ke domains reduced by around half.

During the 3 month promotion for Kenya’s country code top-level domain that began on 1 January, registrants will renew their domain name registrations at half the usual price offered to them by domain registrars.

According to one registrar, Africa Registry, to register a .co.ke domain name for the first time is around $35, while the renewal fee is $113. Another, EuroDNS charges close to $149 for initial registrations.

According to the Techweez report, KeNIC says the period will also be a time to examine the market response to the price cut. The outcome will also help in formulating a new pricing model, among other strategic decisions in order to appeal to issues that were raised last year and this time round.

“It is our hope that we shall work together towards the growth of the .ke domain registrations and achieve higher customer retention rate,” says KeNIC in a statement.

The reduction is also only available for 3rd level domains, not the second level .ke, and is only available through all KeNIC licensed registrars.

Domain Name Registrants, Domain Name Registrars, Domain Name Registry

ccTLD Updates: .NO Reaches 700,000, .KE Cuts Fees and New .FI Registry/Registrar Model

Norid UNINETT logoThe Norwegian ccTLD, .no, reached the 700,000 registrations milestone in late June with individuals adding significantly to the number of registrations since they were allowed to register domains in the ccTLD in June 2014.

But today the total number of registrations has dipped backed below the milestone and number 6999,876 of which 408,793 are DNSSEC secured.

Since June 2014 the number of .no domain names registered by individuals has reached 50,000.

Kenya Network Information Centre Kenic logoThe Kenya Network Information Centre (Kenic) has reduced the price charged to registrars for .ke domains to Sh650 ($6.40) per domain from Sh1,000 ($9.85); with a recommended retail selling price set at Sh1,000, according to a report in the Kenyan Business Daily.

There are also “plans to make it compulsory for new companies seeking registration to have a website as part of efforts to get at least half of local enterprises” to use the Kenyan ccTLD.

Kenic “also plans to make it possible to register for the domain name at any Huduma Centre countrywide.” Huduma Centres provide Kenyans access to various Public Services and information from One Stop Shop citizen service centres.

Ficora is transitioning to a new registry-registrar model and as part of the plans to implement the change .fi will undergo maintenance operations between 16:15 on 2 September and 10:00 on 5 September.

FICORA dot FI logoThe current domain name system and all related user IDs will cease to exist on Friday, 2 September at 16.15. This means that domain names cannot be modified between Friday, 2 September 2016 at 16.15 and Monday, 5 September 2016 at 10.00. Which also means it will not be possible to renew or change registrant information during this period. The new system which will only be for registrars will open at 10:00 on 5 September.

Other changes that will occur as a result of the new system will be that the registration of certain domain names currently banned by law will become available. Domain names that will become available include:

  • generic or country code top level domains
  • abbreviations of enterprise, foundation or association forms
  • expressions that are insulting or incite into criminal activity.

These restrictions are abandoned in the Information Society Code and the banned domain names will be released for registration on Wednesday, 7 September 2016 at 10.00. The release takes place on Wednesday in order to provide registrars a chance to check their account balance and deposit enough money to their account for the registrations.

Other changes for registrars include:

  • Those who have registered as registrars in the new system act as account administrators and can create new user IDs for other users within their organisation.
  • Users log in to the system by entering a user ID, password and one-time password that is sent via text message to the number provided by the user.
  • Domain name registration fees are charged to the deposit account which registrars may top up through their online bank, either via credit card or bank transfer. Users may set a balance alert which means that the system sends a message when the account balance falls below a chosen limit.
  • It is easy to keep a domain name holder’s details up to date since contact details are automatically updated to all of the holder’s domain names.
  • it is possible to set domain names to automatically renew once a year.