Many .link domain names suddenly in 'This name is registry reserved' status

[BreezerTNL]

Hello All,

I have pre ordered some .link domain names, but suddenly 98% of all those names got suddenly another status called: '>>> This name is not available for registration: >>> This name is registry reserved'. So I guess these names won't be available any more at the GA (general availability) period.

What I know, is that the .link domain names only had a sunrise and a GA period (so no early access). So my logic said that if a name wasn't ordered in the sunrise period, he will be available in the GA period. But unfortunately, since yesterday they got suddenly this other status.

Does anyone knows how is this possible? and does anyone know if these domain names in this status will become available again?

Thanks for your answer.

Marco

 

[Yo]

A lot of good possible keywords are Registry reserved, Don't think they will be available anytime soon unless magically they unlocked the status for General availability, There might be a premium auction where these get auction off for a higher percentage.

 

[BreezerTNL]

Thanks for your reply. The thing is that they weren't reserved when I pre ordered them. I did even check the whois from uniregistry itself before pre ordering.

I don't think an auction will do any good, because when I was pre ordering some keyword .link domain names, they were all free to pre order at any registrar, so there isn't much interests in them.

If I knew this before, I wouldn't be interested at all. In my opinion Uniregistry should have said in front that they will keep many .link domain names for themselves to auction them.

 

[decades80]

Just get over it. For instance buy.bike was offered as Donuts premium domain for some days, but out of a sudden it got reserved. When you place a pre order, I guess the registry check those and if they find a name with potential they reserve it few days before general availability. It happens all the time.

 

[Jasonn]

Just get over it. For instance buy.bike was offered as Donuts premium domain for some days, but out of a sudden it got reserved. When you place a pre order, I guess the registry check those and if they find a name with potential they reserve it few days before general availability. It happens all the time.

what a joke...donuts is getting way over confident and keeping more and more domains for themselves. its going to blow up in their faces eventually.

 

[Cool.Ventures]

Which Registrar(s) are you referring to? It's helpful for me to provide the best answer / explanation if I know which Registrar(s).

Frank Schilling, a domainer!, owns Uniregistry which owns .Link so this is no surprise that Frank has reserved OVER 1,000 .link domains for himself.

It's obvious now that Frank did not have such a reserved list until after he eyeballed all the times you reserved domains as it pinged his database. In other words he saw everything you did and said "Oh, those are some good domains, I'll reserve those for myself". Yes, for real.

Are you as outraged as I am? If so, file a complaint against Uniregistry (and Donuts for the eco.* debacle) here: http://www.icann.org/en/resources/compliance/complaints/registries/form

However be prepared for an extremely weak response from ICANN as they are in on the scam too. I wonder where to complain against ICANN?



---------- Post added at 12:16 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:48 AM ----------

what a joke...donuts is getting way over confident and keeping more and more domains for themselves. its going to blow up in their faces eventually.

I hope they can't sell them for peanuts. I hope they go bankrupt.

 

[BreezerTNL]

@Cool Ventures: What you describe, I'm convinced too this is the case... Between my pre orders, I had exactly three pre ordered Dutch cities domain names and exactly these three cities got into 'This name is registry reserved' status, even when there are other Dutch cities which are much more 'important' then these three. All other 'important' Dutch cities are still free to pre order for GA at any registrar... I guess I was the only Dutch guy interested in Dutch cities.

This totally supports our theory... It's unbelievable that this can happen under the ICANN flag.

 

[Name Trader]

Nothing surprises me about ICANN.

 

[Cool.Ventures]

Here is a letter I wrote ICANN and their traditionally very lame or convoluted response. Sounds like ICANN is sleeping with the Registries and letting them do about whatever they want to do. I am unable to make sense of their response. Can you make anything out of it? Sounds like they are blowing smoke to cover up their fraudulent money making scheme.

-----------
My letter:
-----------
The amount of domains Frank Shilling, a domainer, is keeping for himself exceeds 100 which is against ICANN policy. This is evidenced by the combined collision and registry reserved domain list here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/6f6tdrmv9f50u9u/linkr.xlsx

Although that list is largely collision names, when you remove the collision list, the amount remaining far exceeds 100.

Please limit Frank's landgrab of this TLD to no more than 100 as the purpose of ICANN is supposed to make sure things are going mostly in favor of the general public, not a single domainer.

Thanks
-----------
ICANN response:
-----------

Thank you for submitting a Reserved Names complaint concerning the top-level domain name dot link. ICANN has reviewed and closed your complaint because:

There are two types of reserved names:
(i) those that cannot be activated in the DNS, and
(ii) those that can be activated in the DNS.

The latter falls within the scope of Specification 5, Section 3.2, i.e., dot link may activate in the DNS (at all levels) up to one hundred (100) names (plus their IDN variants, where applicable) necessary for the operation or the promotion of the TLD.

On the other hand, reserved names that cannot be activated in the DNS fall within the scope of Specification 5 (section 3.3); and for this type, per Article 2.6 , the
"Registry Operator may at any time establish or modify policies concerning Registry Operator’s ability to reserve (i.e., withhold from registration or allocate to Registry Operator, but not register to third parties, delegate, use, activate in the DNS or otherwise make available) or block additional character strings within the TLD at its discretion."

Thus, regarding your complaint, the registry operator may block additional character strings within the TLD at its discretion. Such names may not be activated in the DNS, but may be released for registration to another person or entity at Registry Operator’s discretion.

ICANN considers this matter now closed. If you require future assistance, please submit a new complaint to ICANN at http://www.icann.org/en/resources/compliance/registries .

Please do not reply to this email (replies to closed complaints are not monitored by ICANN staff).

ICANN is requesting your feedback on this closed complaint. Please complete this optional survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8F2Z6DP .

Sincerely,

ICANN Contractual Compliance

 

[loupe]

I think the "plus IDN variants ..." might explain it.