Domain names are tracked and controlled by InterNIC, the Internet’s Network Information Center and ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. Working within the confines of these agencies are a handful of organizations authorized by RAA, Registrar Accreditation Agreement, that sell and handle domains globally.
At the turn of the millennium, there were but a handful of registrars used exclusively by the likes of Yahoo and Microsoft, namely, Melbourne IT. Australia has led the world in the registrar business until the last several years, where countries such as Argentina, China, Canada and now the United States, have gained a strong foothold over what was once nearly a monopoly.
The old saying about real estate, “location, location, location”, also has a bearing on domain names, where “location” can be substituted by “domain name”. The legal implications of branding and trademarks has opened a massive can of worms, and most likely will keep business lawyers busy for the rest of this millennium.
Which one would I recommend? One that’s reasonably priced, has a proven track record and operates in the same time zone.
