Lifetime domain registration - Is this legal?

[Castlemelody]

Greetings!

I wish to reserve a certain .PH domain. However, when I checked at the registrar's website, it is already taken and when I get an info about it, the expiration date says "lifetime". Huh? Is it allowed to have lifetime domain name registration? Does anyone has any knowledge on the legality of this?

In my opinion, there shouldn't be lifetime domain name registration otherwise it will be a possible cause of some anomalous transactions like a registrar will "register" profitable domain names for others. Am I just being paranoid here?

Thank you very much!

 

[marisolblue]

netsol did the 100 year thing. What are the chances that netsol or any of these companies offering this will be around in 100 years

 

[Castlemelody]

There is no such thing as company living forever... so it should be anomalous if you say lifetime domain. *Sigh*.

At any rate, I just wish the registry issue can be solved soon.

 

[Dave_Z]

Allan, did you ask the registrar in question what that "lifetime" registration
really means if you get a domain name with them? Why not pretend to be a
prospect looking around and ask them that if you haven't done so yet?

 

[Castlemelody]

Thanks for the suggestion. If they meant lifetime to be something else, they could have placed something else in there in the first place, say "10 years" or the exact date. Besides, it is not found in their Terms/Policies. That alone is simply misleading which is similar to something like advertising for a free gift, but you need to pay for something before you get the gift!

Please forgive me. I am just not in the mood to do so as you have suggested.

 

[Zeeble]

technically its not been registered for lifetime, its just being renewed.....

 

[Castlemelody]

Thank you very much for your comment. I could certainly accept it if it is renewed and even automatically renewed. No problem because that is usually the case with other registrars who offer automatic renewal. However, what keeps me wondering is why was it offerered for lifetime outright? I mean it could not have been a lifetime domain if it was not offered as a lifetime domain in the first place. Right?

It is simply different when it is just being renewed. Why? When it is just renewed, the owner of the domain pays annually. But, it's not. As I understand it the owner of a lifetime domain only paid a one-time fee and there is no payment taken every year.

Now, here is the most interesting part:

"We should add that domains existing prior to October 1, 1999 were charged a one-time registration fee of PhP1,350. They will not be subject to renewal fees unless they need to change nameservers, in which case they will be charged a new registration fee and annual renewals."

NOTE: PHP1,350 is roughly $25.

What do you think? I am not judging a registrar here. I am just asking if indeed the practice is acceptable in your point of view. Or is there something not right?

technically its not been registered for lifetime, its just being renewed.....