| Domain name registrars are basically organizations or | | | | registrars available and the end user can make use of |
| communities that overlook and regulate the activities | | | | the same. |
| of the different websites on the internet. There are | | | | When the website has been registered by the |
| many websites on the internet and the primary | | | | registrar for the customer, the customer is expected |
| activity of domain name registrars is to manage | | | | to pay an annual fee to Verisign and an administration |
| them. | | | | fee to ICANN. There are some companies which |
| The customer cannot choose a name for his or her | | | | charge only the annual fee and expect the customer |
| website by contacting any domain name registrars. | | | | to pay the administration fee to ICANN directly. But |
| There are certain designated registrars and one | | | | most of the companies charge the admin fees as |
| would have to choose one for them. Before 1999, | | | | well and pay it to ICANN on the customer's behalf. |
| NSI was the only registrar. But after 1999, there | | | | The domain name registrar industry is something that |
| were lot more companies who were taking up the | | | | not many people can get into that easily. And if you |
| job of designated registrars. These registrars are | | | | do not have a customer base then entering this |
| expected to pay an annual fee which has two | | | | industry is almost close to being impossible. |
| components. One is fixed and the other is variable in | | | | The cost for getting your website registered is |
| nature. | | | | basically something in the range of five to thirty five |
| As there are many registrars, there exists a stiff | | | | dollars and the period of registration is generally ten |
| competition among these registrars to attract end | | | | years. But there are also some companies which |
| users to make use of their services. And to lure | | | | actually register a website for a period of hundred |
| these customers, they often come up with price | | | | years. These hundred years registrations would |
| discounts for their services. The domain name could | | | | require renewals at regular intervals. These hundred |
| be deleted or modified only by the registrar and | | | | year registrations would not be visible in the official |
| therefore the end user will have to contact the | | | | registration database. |
| registrar if they want to delete or alter the content | | | | If one wants to change the name of their domain |
| in the website. It is not necessary or mandatory that | | | | then they can do it seeking the assistance of the |
| the customer sticks to only one particular registrar | | | | registrars. |
| for his or her domain names. There are multiple | | | | |