Registering a .com domain name
The .com extension is the best known in the world and is managed by Verisign. Anyone may register it, with no conditions on establishment or nationality. If you work internationally or want the extension people automatically try, .com is the safe choice.
Because .com is so popular, many short names are already taken. The rules are simple, but a transfer involves waiting periods that nobody can speed up. Below is what you need to know.
What does a .com domain name cost?
Price in euros, per year and excluding 21% VAT. Renewable annually; price changes by the registry are reserved.
The rules of Verisign for a .com
Who may register
Anyone, anywhere. There are no conditions on establishment or nationality. The holder details must be correct, though, and the holder's email address must be reachable.
Characters and length
Letters, digits and the hyphen, up to sixty-three characters. Very short names have in practice long been taken or reserved. Accented letters are possible but rarely used.
Term and renewal
You register per year and can renew several years ahead. Renewal is possible until the expiry date; after that a more expensive recovery period follows.
Transfer with a transfer code
You move with an EPP code from your current registrar. The holder must approve the transfer by email and a waiting period of a few days runs that is set by the registry's rules. The transfer extends the name by a year.
Lock period after registration or transfer
A .com that has just been registered or just transferred cannot be transferred again for sixty days. So do not plan a transfer right after a change.
Expiry and recovery
After the expiry date the registrar holds the name for a while, then a recovery period at the registry follows in which recovery is more expensive. After that the name is released. The exact periods differ per registrar.
Which sites is a .com suited to?
Companies with international customers
Anyone selling or delivering outside Belgium does not want an extension that designates one country. A .com is recognised everywhere.
Brands and products
A product name or brand belongs on .com, even if the company behind it is Belgian. It is the extension people type when they know the name but not the address.
As protection alongside your .be
Many Belgian companies register the .com alongside their .be and have it redirect. That way nobody else can run off with it later.
What most often goes wrong with a .com
Starting the transfer too late
The waiting period in a .com transfer and the approval by email take time. Start the transfer well before the expiry date, not in the last week.
Ignoring the confirmation email
Without the holder's approval the transfer does not go through and the request expires. Check that the email address in the holder details still works.
Trusting a low introductory price
Some providers work with a cheap first year and a much higher renewal rate. Always compare what the renewal costs, not just the registration.