| There are a lot of domain name registration services | | | | of what one calls about, whoever answers the |
| out there and a prospective webmaster should | | | | phone can provide assistance. All of Hover's customer |
| always shop around. In fact, it's one of the most | | | | service staff have the same training and can handle |
| competitive industries on the Internet. Prices regularly | | | | everything from billing to technical issues. Customers |
| change, as do offerings and their quality. Hover, the | | | | can rest assured that they won't have to spend time |
| subject of this article, claims that it is and will be | | | | on hold and that they won't have to endure being |
| different from other domain name registration | | | | transferred from one department to another when |
| services in a way that will be positive to the | | | | they call or e-mail customer service. |
| consumer. | | | | Hover prides itself in having a very clean, |
| is the retail division of Tucows Inc., the third largest | | | | advertisement free user interface. Unlike some other |
| ICANN-accredited registrar and largest publicly traded | | | | services that bombard customers with a constant |
| domain name registrar in the world. Operating atop | | | | slew of promotional offerings, Hover doesn't try to |
| the reliable, robust OpenSRS platform and led by | | | | push services on its customers. The minimalistic, |
| general manager Ross Rader, a man reputable for | | | | advertisement-free interface of Hover makes it easy |
| being a compassionate perfectionist, Hover is | | | | for customers to find what they need. Everything |
| definitely a force in the industry to be reckoned with. | | | | that a customer might need to do to manage their |
| Although the service only launched in 2009, it's not | | | | domains and/or personalized, custom email is easy to |
| necessarily correct to refer to it as a "new kid on | | | | find. This is made possible by Hover giving a |
| the block" in the domain name and email business, as | | | | customer everything that customers actually need |
| Hover is actually the result of the successful | | | | and nothing that they don't. |
| combination of three very successful companies. | | | | Hover's domain name registration process is quick and |
| Tucows has been around since 1994, when it got its | | | | easy. Like with other domain registration services, |
| start offering software downloads and reviews. | | | | one need only type in the name they desire to see if |
| Domain Direct, Tucows' first domain name | | | | its available and proceed to purchase it. Unlike many |
| registration service, launched in 1997. In 1999, | | | | other registrars, Hover's checkout process is fast, |
| Tucows became ICANN-accredited and was one of | | | | taking only a few seconds to a minute at most for |
| the first registrars to do so. Over 10,000 service | | | | most people. Management of one's new domain |
| providers globally sell domains managed by Tucows | | | | name, be it setting name servers, WHOIS data, |
| via OpenSRS, Tucows' advanced wholesale reseller | | | | turning off or on Private Registration, or making |
| platform. Presently, Tucows has over ten million - | | | | advanced DNS settings, is easy. |
| 10,000,000 - domain names under management. | | | | The NetIdentity component of Hover brought over |
| In 2006, NetIdentity was acquired by Tucows and in | | | | 40,000 surname domain names into the equation. This |
| 2007, so was It's Your Domain (IYD). These two | | | | makes it possible for Hover to offer first @ last. com |
| services, as well as Tucows' own Domain Direct, | | | | style email addresses for everyone with a given last |
| were all successful. All under one roof, the task at | | | | name since Hover owns the surname domains. For |
| hand became their successful amalgamation and it is | | | | example, a Sylvia Gonzales could get sylvia @ |
| from this that Hover was born. Hover is the result of | | | | gonzales. com,.net,.org, etc., depending on which |
| the successful merging of Domain Direct, NetIdentity, | | | | names Hover had available. George Gonzales could |
| and It's Your Domain into one unit. In 2009, Hover | | | | get george @ gonzales. com. When purchasing a first |
| went live. | | | | / last surname e-mail address from Hover, one pays |
| Unlike many other domain name registration services, | | | | for the e-mail address, but Hover owns the domain. |
| Hover tries hard to keep things simple while providing | | | | This makes it easier for people to get the perfect |
| an intuitive, painless user experience. Additionally, | | | | e-mail address for their identity. |
| instead of trying to be a jack-of-all-trades, Hover | | | | Whether transferring in or transferring out of Hover, |
| instead specializes in domain names and custom, | | | | the process is as painless as possible. Hover does |
| personalized e-mail. The result of this is that there are | | | | everything it can to make the transition in or even |
| no confusing add-ons or potentially misleading service | | | | out of its service as easy as possible for incoming |
| offerings with Hover. Also, there are no hidden fees | | | | and outgoing customers alike. Hover doesn't believe |
| so an individual can rest assured that the price seen | | | | that a business should hold one's domains hostage. |
| is the price paid, short of a sale or other form of | | | | Admittedly, Hover had a few bumps to overcome |
| discount. Customer service and pain-free usability are | | | | when it launched. Most new services do. However, if |
| Hover's top priorities. | | | | Hover continues to offer great products for |
| The Hover experience revolves around the customer. | | | | affordable prices and treat customers like human |
| When a customer calls customer service, a person | | | | beings and actually provide them service when they |
| answers the phone, not a recording. Whoever | | | | contact customer service, Hover and Tucows Inc. |
| answers the phone can help without needing to ask | | | | may well eventually dominate the domain name |
| somebody else for permission. Additionally, regardless | | | | registration scene. |