Estonian biggest domain registrar Zone Media (Zone.ee) was the first to announce .EE domain registration retail price and also confirmed signing the registrar agreement with Estonian Internet Foundation (EIF).
EE domain retail price will be from 5th of July 307,5 Estonian kroons (EEK) plus VAT 20 per cent.
„The main component of domain registration is 285 EEK what we as registrar must pay to EIF. As to this significantly high registrar fee we are forced to subsidize EE domain retail price from our other services. If we don’t do this many clients may abandon EE domain,“ explained price evolvement Zone Media chief executive Martti Varik.
Until the beginning of July registration of EE domains is free, but during 6 months transition period which starts on 5th of July almost 80 000 EE domains must be re-registered.
„We want to avoid the registration storm in the beginning of July, but are not able to do that because EIF has not published blocked and reserved domain lists neither domain registration stipulations in second level domains. As these terms are inseparable from domain regulation none of registrants could admit new applications,“ added Varik.
New domain regulation brings many important changes:
• One person can register more than one EE domain (currently limited only to one);
• Private persons can register EE domains (currently limited only for companies);
• Non-Estonian registrants can register EE domains;
• Domain registration will endure one year.
Varik paid attention to the fact that regarding to EIF requirements all registering persons must be identified and therefore ID-card or Mobile-ID with necessary authentication and signing codes and hardware should be available while ordering domains.
Zone Media will lower significantly the retail price of .EU domains during first three months of new EE reform as a solution to those registrants who consider disclaiming EE domains for high price.