> 
>  - If a reseller fails to renew the domain name for their 
> clients then the
> domain name goes back to Melb IT and they contact the custmore. This
> happens 28 days before expire.

Slight correction here.  Domain names now stay listed against a reseller in
our systems all the way up to deletion.  Melbourne IT does send a reminder
message if the registrant has failed to renew their name.  The reminder lets
registrants know that they may renew through their current supplier without
the rgistry key, or if they want to change suppliers that need to supply the
registry key.

Put another way, our systems are being designed so that the layer between
registrar and resellers, is based on the layer between the registry and
registrars.  So names listed in the central registry will be associated with
a registrar, and names listed in Melbourne IT's registrar database will be
associated with a reseller.  Transfers between registrars and transfers
between resellers will operate the same.  Thus relative to a consumer it
shouldn't matter much whether their supplier is a registrar or a reseller.

In turn the method of transfer between registrars is based on the work of
the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) provreg working group.  This is
being used for .biz, .info, and .name.  .com will follow suit later this
year.

The approach is to follow or lead international best practice.  In fact I am
presently attending the IETF meeting in Minneapolis at the moment.

Regards,
Bruce Tonkin