> Should the domain have been unregistered allowing others to register it? A
> resounding NO! They should have a facility to put it in a temporary
Holding
> zone... while the licencee is contacted!




The following info was provided to me by AusRegistry in response to a
question I asked them some time ago about the process that applies to
expired domains:




All domains in the AusRegistry Registry have an expiry date.  At 23:59 UTC
on that date:


1. The domain name is removed from the zone file - so any web site and email
addresses using the domain name will stop working.  For any domain that is
actually being used for a website / email, one would expect that the
Registrant would realise pretty quickly that something has happened.

2. The Registry status for the domain name is set to 'pending delete',
'server update prohibited', for a period that is a minimum of 14 days and a
maximum of 21 days.  Therefore the Registrant has a minimum of two weeks
(and an average of 17.5 days) after their domain name stops working to renew
the domain name - during that period the domain name is not available for
registration by anyone else.

3. The domain name is deleted at a random time within the 14 - 21 day
window, unless it is renewed by the current Registrar of Record, or unless a
transfer request (which is treated as a 'Transfer and Renewal) is received
by the Registry from another Registrar.


I think the minimum two week period between the domain ceasing working and
its actual availability to anyone else to register is a reasonable
compromise.  It may be a tad difficult to put a convincing argument that a
domain name in active use by the Registrant would be non-operational for 14
days and they wouldn't notice it.



Regards, Mark

Mark Hughes
Effective Business Applications Pty Ltd
+61 4 1374 3959
www.pplications.com.au
effectivebusiness§pplications.com.au