Domain name renewals spark complaints to ACCC - News - Business

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This story was printed from ZDNet Australia.
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Domain name renewals spark complaints to ACCC

By Vivienne Fisher, ZDNet Australia
March 25, 2002
URL: http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/business/soa/Domain-name-renewals-spark-complaints-to-ACCC/0,139023166,120264232,00.htm

Renewal practices of domain name resellers are again under scrutiny, with auDA having referred complaints to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

Chris Disspain, CEO at .au Domain Administration (auDA), refused to reveal details of the companies or complaints which had been referred to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

However, Disspain did confirm that auDA had referred various complaints to the ACCC over the past three months dealing with misleading renewal advice, and also misleading unsolicited material.

auDA is currently carrying out a consumer alert campaign about unsolicited renewal notices issued by some domain name resellers. It is alerting consumers to unsolicited renewal advice notices which some resellers have been sending out, implying that registry keys are now required to renew a domain name.

According to auDA, the registry key is not required if a customer is renewing with the company which is listed with the registry as providing domain name services to that particular customer.

Disspain said auDA was also trying to educate consumers about early renewal notices. Currently .au domain names can't be renewed more than 60 days before they are due to expire.

The domain administrator is advising consumers that domain name resellers sending out unsolicited renewal notices will hold a customer's money until the time when they can renew through the registry.