Domain names are, if you like, an identifier for your website. Grade1 is a member of Nominet in the UK who are the central authority for domain registrations in this country.

There are no limits to the amount of domains you can register, and you can have them all pointed to the same website, if required, to broaden the entry points or 'gateways' to your site. If you would like to purchase extra domains, you can do so from our here.

What is a Domain Name?

A Domain name is a text name for a 'real' internet address, which is called an Internet protocol (IP) number (eg 212.67.200.112). Grade1.co.uk is an example of a domain name. The address for web pages would normally be http://www.grade.co.uk or just http://grade1.co.uk. Registered names are unique - as long as registration is maintained no-one else can use that address.

Why can't I register a name myself?

For every registration, there are technical implementations to consider such as the requirement of name servers to register a name. We make a minimal charge for the registration service because we have worked at developing an automated system which takes out much of the hard work. The cost for individuals registering a .uk name direct with Nominet is normally £80 per 2 years. As members of Nominet we get a reduced rate and pass this on to you. (prices correct at time or writing)

What are the rules?

The only valid characters are letters, numbers, and the hyphen "-". An underscore "_" which can be used in e-mail addresses before the @ cannot be used in domain names. The hyphen cannot be used at the start or end of a word. Different countries have different rules. Further details are provided on the registration screen.

What ending can I Register?

There are norules about who can register .com, .net, .org and co.uk domains. .com was originally intended for commercial organisations but is now the most widely used throughout the world. .net was intended for companies involved in the internet and .org for not-for-profit organisations. If the name you want is not available .com then you have a better chance trying another ending. .co.uk and some foreign domains can also be used by anyone. Other domains such as .ltd.uk and .plc.uk require that the exact company name registered with comapnied house be registered, and the company number supplied. For example, we could only register grade1internetsolutions.ltd.uk and no one else. We can also register .eu.com and many others from around the world.

How many domains can I choose from?

There are literally hundreds of other domains. These include:
.ltd.uk .ac.uk .sch.uk (limited use) .to .cc .tm .ac .hm .tv (these were all allocated to small countries who recognised the commercial potential and have made them available to anyone)

You can do everything with the .ac and other domain names that you can do with .com. They are recognized TLD (Top Level Domain) and viewable from anywhere in the world.

Many other countries place severe restrictions on the use of their domains, usually involving residence in the country involved and use of the registered business name only for a domain name.

New domains such as .biz, .info & .name, have been introduced but have not yet been released on sale. We will offer these domains when they become available.

What if the name I want to use is already taken?

As suggested above you can try a different domain. You can also try a slight variation. For example, to register an address based on a football team you could try:
portsmouth.com, pompey.com, pfc.com, portsmouth-fc, pompeyfan.com, pompeychimes.com and so on.

Should I register a name now for use at a later date?

The short answer is yes, particularly if it is likely to be a popular one. Many thousands of names are registered everyday. If you need to change details such as addresses or contacts you can do this for no extra cost.

Does the domain name have to stay with Grade1?

It's your domain name, not ours. We will transfer the name to any other internet service provider of your choice at any time for no extra charge. We intend to keep your custom by continuing to provide the best service at the best price.

How long does it take to register a name?

Your request is processed as soon as it is received. It takes up to 24 hours for Internic and minutes for Nominet to confirm an application. Your name then has to be added to the root name servers, which is normally done by the next working day. So from your initial application to full use will be about 1-2 working days.

Who owns a domain name?

As long as you pay the fees regularly then you do. You are the individual or organisation at the top of the WHOIS record. The administrative, technical and billing contacts are individuals who are trusted by you to carry out the relevant work. The technical contact will usually be provided by the Internet Service Provider (ie. us)

Who controls domain names?

Internic/CORE are the organisations that registers .com .net and .org names across the internet.
Nominet UK registers all .uk domains.Their charge is £80 for 2 years. Organisations such as ourselves who become members receive a discount on this amount.

I already have a domain name, can I transfer it to you?

Yes. There is a small process to go through and we recommend contacting us, either by email or phone to arrange a smooth transfer. We do not charge for transferring domain names to ourselves, however it might be the case where the third party company involved may charge their own fees.

Once I've bought the name from you, can I use it elsewhere?

Obviously we would like to discuss different ways in which you can use your domain name effectively using our services, however we appreciate that from time to time we cannot meet every requirement and therefore have a policy to release domain names with minimum of hassle. We do not charge for the release. It is a known fact that the transfer of .com/.net/.org domain names can be a problem because of the many authoritities involved, if this the case it is in our duty to provide the best resolution to our customers and clients - normally providing free forwarding or DNS services