1. Who maintains the New.net™ registry?
   
2. Are there differences between how New.net domain names and .COM/.NET /.ORG domain names work?
   
3. Who is helping to shape New.net?

1. What is a domain name?
   
2. What Domain Name extensions does New.net offer?
   
3. What do .GMBH, .INC, .LLC, .LLP, .LTD, and .SOC stand for?
   
4. Can I register domain name extensions such as: .COM, .NET, or .ORG through New.net?
   
5. What does it mean to "register" a domain name?
   
6. Why should I register a New.net domain name?
   
7. Once I purchase a domain name, how long may I use it?
   
8. How much does it cost to register a domain name?
   
9. What will happen if ICANN releases a domain name extension that is identical to a New.net domain name?

1. How do I register a domain name with New.net?
   
2. What do I need in order to register a domain name?
   
3. How long does New.net's registration process take?
   
4. Is it possible for another person to register my domain name on the New.net Registry after I have registered it?
   
5. What methods of payment does New.net accept?
   
6. What are the valid characters for a domain name and how long can it be?
   
7. There seem to be additional conditions on the registration of .KIDS domains. Why, and what are they?
   
8. Is there any guaranteed minimum number of people that will be able to access New.net domain names?
   
9. Are there trademark restrictions on purchasing New.net domain names?
   
10. Is my contact information for my New.net domain publicly available ?
    
11. Once I have registered a New.net domain, how do I get my site onto the Internet? Does New.net provide web space?
    
12. Where do I enter my credit card billing information when I register a New.net domain?
    
13. I no longer want my New.net domain name. Will New.net refund my money?

Company Information

1. Who maintains the New.net registry?
New.net, Inc. maintains its own registry in a similar way that Verisign maintains the registries for .COM, .NET, and .ORG.

2. Are there differences between how New.net domain names and .COM/.NET/.ORG domain names work?
There are some differences, but in many ways the domain names work the same. One difference is that in order for people to use New.net domain names, they must either access the Internet through one of our many ISP partners or download and install our plug-in. If either one of these requirements is met, then New.net domains will work just as you are used to .com and .net domains working.

3. Who is helping to shape New.net?
New.net has many partners that are working with us to make New.net domains widely recognized around the world. Some of our current partners include:

Earthlink
Tutopia
Easyspace
Bulk Register

Click here for a current list of all New.net partners.

Back to top

Background Information

1. What is a domain name?
Domain names are the familiar, easy to remember names for computers on the Internet (such as New.net). They correspond to a series of numbers called Internet Protocol numbers (IP numbers, such as 244.120.0.43) that serve as routing addresses on the Internet. Domain names are used generally as a convenient way of locating information and reaching others on the Internet, without having to remember a long string of numbers.

A domain name extension is the suffix that is attached to the end of a domain name. For example, in the domain name "New.net"; ".NET" is the domain name extension.

You may be familiar with other domain name extensions such as .COM, .ORG, .NET, .EDU, and .GOV. Now there are new domain name extensions offered by New.net such as: .SPORT, .SHOP, and .KIDS.

2. What Domain Name extensions does New.net offer?
At this time, New.net offers domain name extensions in the following languages:

• ENGLISH
• ESPANOL
• FRANCAIS
• PORTUGUES
• DEUTSCH
• ITALIANO

You may see the current list of domain name extensions by scrolling to the top of the page and clicking on the appropriate language tab (i.e., English, Espanol, Francais, Portugues, Deutsch, Italiano).

We plan to introduce new extensions in the future based on market data and information gathered from our customers.

Back to top

3. What do .GMBH, .INC, .LLC, .LLP, .LTD, and .SOC stand for?
GMBH: Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung. Translates to "Company with limited liability." It is widely recognized and used in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland.

INC: Incorporated. Means a company is Incorporated, and the owners have limited liability. It is widely recognized and used in USA.

LLC: Limited Liability Company. An LLC has limited liability, and unlimited life. It is widely recognized and used in USA.

LLP: Limited Liability Partnership. It is widely recognized and used in USA.

LTD: Limited. Indicates that a company is incorporated and that the owners have limited liability. It is widely used in the UK and many former British colonies, as well in other countries such as Japan. This can also be used in the USA.

SOC: Sociedad Anonima. Translates to "Anonymous Society" and is the equivalent of SA which is a limited partnership with shares. It is widely recognized and used as: Societe Anonyme (Belgium, France, Greece, Ivory Coast, Luxembourg, Morocco), Sociedades Anonimas (Brazil), Societa in Accomandita per azioni (Italy), Sociedad Anonima (Me xico, Portugal), Spolka Akcyjna (Poland), Societate pe Actiuni (Romania).

4. Can I register domain name extensions such as: .COM, .NET, or .ORG through New.net?
No, at this time we only register the new extensions offered by New.net.

5. What does it mean to "register" a domain name?
The Internet Domain Name System (DNS) consists of a directory, organized hierarchically, of all the domain names and their corresponding computers registered to particular companies and persons using the Internet. When you register a domain name, it will be associated with the computer on the Internet you designate (DNS information) during the period the registration is in effect. You can also use the domain name to point to another website address (URL Forwarding) such as point www.jones.family to www.geocities.com/~thomasjones/family/index.html.

6. Why should I register a New.net domain name?
Registering a domain name for your business or organization is essential to your marketing efforts. A domain name gives your business a unique identity on the World Wide Web (WWW). Individuals also register domain names to use as an address for their personal web site.

The market for .COM and .NET and all other widely used domains has become very crowded. There is a need for even more descriptive domain name extensions. New.net answers both of these concerns.

Back to top

7. Once I purchase a domain name, how long may I use it?
Your New.net domain name will be yours for as long as you pay the yearly registration fees and comply with the terms specified during the registration process.

8. How much does it cost to register a domain name?
Registering a domain at New.net is $35 for the first year for each domain.

9. What will happen if ICANN releases a domain name extension that is identical to a New.net domain name?
We are working very hard to achieve universal resolvability of New.net domain names through a combination of ISP relationships and plug-in downloads. At the same time, we are reaching out to ICANN and its supporters to get them to understand the viability of our names and our approach and to get ICANN to add our names to the "root" servers that they operate. Should ICANN decide to introduce a domain name extension in conflict with one of our extensions and assign it to another registry, they will in fact introduce a "collision" in the name space, something they have professed wanting to avoid. If that were to happen, individual consumers and ISPs would have to choose between the ICANN version and the New.net version of the name. It is our intention to demonstrate a massive market acceptance of our names that will prevent such collisions from being introduced.

Registration Process

1. How do I register a domain name with New.net?
Registering a domain name at New.net is simple; just scroll up to the top of this page and enter a domain name of your choice and follow the steps thereafter.

2. What do I need in order to register a domain name?
To register a domain name with New.net, you only need to specify the Contact Information and credit card billing information associated with your domain name. DNS information is not required during sign-up; this can be edited at any time after the registration is complete.

Back to top

3. How long does New.net's registration process take?
New.net's registration process should only take a few minutes to complete. Once your registration has been confirmed it will take no more than a few hours for New.net's database to be updated with your new domain.

4. Is it possible for another person to register my domain name on the New.net Registry after I have registered it?
No. New.net's system prevents duplicate registrations on the New.net Registry. Domains are registered on a first-come, first-served basis. Once a domain is registered, any other person or domain registration site cannot register it with New.net.

You should be aware, however, that other companies may offer alternate registries and that New.net has no control over their registration procedures.

5. What methods of payment does New.net accept?
A valid MasterCard, Visa, American Express, or Discover Card is currently the only means of payment accepted.

6. What are the valid characters for a domain name and how long can it be?
The only valid characters for a domain name are letters (a-z), numbers (0-9), and a hyphen "-". A hyphen may not begin or end a domain name. Spaces and special characters like the underscore "_" or an exclamation mark "!" are NOT permitted.

Example: your name.shop (not valid, no spaces allowed)
Example: your_name.shop (not valid, no underscores allowed)
Example: your&name.shop (not valid, no special characters allowed)

Example: your-name.shop (valid)
Example: yourname.shop (valid)

A New.net domain name can be up to 55 characters long - excluding the characters used to identify the domain name extension (.SHOP, .GAME, etc.).

7. There seem to be additional conditions on the registration of .KIDS domains. Why, and what are they?
We are going to great lengths to protect children on the Internet and win the confidence of parents that .KIDS sites will be appropriate for their children. As part of that effort, we have awarded the rights to be the official registry of .KIDS domain names to .KIDS Domains, Inc.

.KIDS has finalized specific rules regarding content on .KIDS sites as well as processes for periodic review of those sites. We have eliminated from inventory a list of names we consider to be not in keeping with the spirit of the .KIDS domain.

In addition, our registration agreement makes it clear that we will only reserve, but not release, any .KIDS domain name until we have had a chance to review the specific name requested. Finally, the agreement also allows .KIDS Domains Inc. to review the site for appropriateness and shut down any offending site at our sole discretion. This can take up to 30 calendar days.

.KIDS Domains will be establishing an outside review panel as well as processes for appealing any recommendations of that panel.

For more information, please see Paragraph 10 of the New.net Registration Agreement.

8. Is there any guaranteed minimum number of people that will be able to access New.net domain names?
No. There is no guarantee that the entire Internet will recognize New.net domain names. However, New.net intends to seek to maximize the recognition of New.net domain names.

Back to top

9. Are there trademark restrictions on purchasing New.net domain names?
Every New.net domain name is available for purchase on a first-come, first-served basis. However, each purchaser of a New.net domain name must represent in the registration agreement that he or she does not intend to use the domain name in a manner that infringes on anyone else's intellectual property rights. Each purchaser is reminded of this obligation during the registration purchase process. All domain name registrations are subject to New.net's Model Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy.

10. Is my contact information for my New.net domain publicly available?
Yes. The Administrative Contact information as well as the first and last name of the Registrant is publicly available to anyone. This is to permit enforcement of consumer protection, trademark and other laws, and rapid resolution of technical issues. The Administrative Contact information may be changed at any time under Manage My Account from the New.net Web site.

11. Once I have registered a New.net domain, how do I get my site onto the Internet? Does New.net provide web space?
When you register a New.net domain, you do not receive any web space on our servers. Once you have registered your domain name, click here for a list of web hosts that support New.net domain names.

12. Where do I enter my credit card billing information when I register a New.net domain?
All of your credit card billing information is entered in the final step of the registration process.

13. I no longer want my New.net domain name. Will New.net refund my money?
New.net upholds a no refund policy on all domain name registrations. For more information on this policy, please visit the New.net Registration Agreement, Section 3.