Just noticed VentraIP's excellent introductory pricing for .au domains finishes up tomorrow.
If you were thinking of getting a short .au address, register one now for up to 5 years at $8.67 per year, and save more than half the RRP. They have a great platform - you can redirect it to existing websites etc.
Note this includes the newer, short .au domains like https://ozbargain.au and not other longer domains, like https://ozbargain.com.au
$50 cash in VIP Wallet for the referrer after referee signs up to a new hosting service and either a new domain name or transfer an existing domain name, and remains an active customer for at least 60 days
Can also vouch for VentraIP. Moved all of my domains over from AWS and it was simple and straightforward. Not having to pay Route53 fees is also nice (free DNS hosting with VentraIP).
They charge $9 to get your ticket replied to in a timely manner . First time I’ve seen that
If you want to go to the top of the queue.
They've always responded in a timely manner to my support tickets, at the standard service level. Great to have Australian-based support around the clock!
I’m more concerned about them as a company making the decision to implement that system
Arigato, Yep 30 minutes used to be the average support ticket turnaround time but these days you're lucky to get an answer within two hours.
Love ventraIP, hate AUDA and their shakedown schemes with this whole .au BS.
So if I'm thinking of making a site I should jump on this ?
At $8.67/Yr - do it.
My Synology can host but I need to learn about security
Not necessarily regular pricing, allows you to register any .au domain name for around $9.50 per year. You can see the wiki here.
Clickhost is an excellent choice, Micron21 is also a good choice and their pricing offer has not got an expiry date as of yet, Micron21 who is also committed to honour that pricing on renewals as long as the domain stays with them.
The .au should be automatically bundled with .com.au, it's so stupid that two different people can own two different sites differed only by .au and .com.au
That would've worked if there was only 2 name spaces there's multiple third levels in .au that existed before the introduction of direct and my guess is you didn't have all of those registered?
Do you mean .net.au and .org.au for example? I don't have those registered, though I would if I had more spare money. Even though it breaks the rules for .org.au.
Do you mean .net.au and .org.au for example?
Yes, there's also others like id.au and asn.au and that's just in the .au namespace then you've got hundreds of other extensions you can't protect them all.
You also need to remember not everyone is eligible to owner .com.au and there's more eligibility requirements, for example, a normal citizen not operating a business would not be able to get a .com.au and under the previous scheme which had a little to no adoption would've been forced to go and register .id.au.
This name space is for everyone with a connection to Australia, including normal citizens and given the expansion with the multiple new gTLD that have rolled out over the last few years and with more on the way I think direct .au registrations are going to be more important long-term.
We've already seen the decline in registrations in other .au name spaces and people are ready letting .net.au domains drop .id.au pretty much has stopped growing overnight.
I messed up when I signed up for my .au, wish I paid for 5 years now. Anybody know if ventraip will let to extend at this low price or will I have to move to another registra like clickhost to get a cheaper renewal price?
Unfortunately, there is no way to add time to a .au domain name unless it's in the last 90 days referred to as the renew period. You can talk to them to see if they'll give you a discounted rate on your next renewal, but I doubt it.
Strange limitation is that the same for .com.au and the other .au's?
so looking at your wiki probably have to move to click host to get the cheapest price on renewal, that way my mistake only costs me en extra 83 cents a year vs $11.28. Not sure what renewal with micron21 would be if I moved a domain to the vs purchasing with them.
Strange limitation is that the same for .com.au and the other .au's?
Yep, it is a strange limitation which has existed since even under the old system where 2 year terms were the only option.
so looking at your wiki probably have to move to click host to get the cheapest price on renewal, that way my mistake only costs me en extra 83 cents a year vs $11.28.
Yeah price difference on 4 years.
Somewhere else
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34.68-
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VIP
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Not sure what renewal with micron21 would be if I moved a domain to the vs purchasing with them.
From my understanding the domains need to be registered there.
@Kyle-K: Probably worth mentioning to people here looking to buy this deal you could save 6 cents today if you buy the domain with micron21 and they will only charge you wholesale price going forward.
Only issue is maybe less customer support? And their domain control back end is lacking some features (eg. you need to open a ticket to set DNSSEC)
Only issue is maybe less customer support?
In my opinion, VentraIP support is not as good as it once was anyway and Micron21 one's reputation is one of the best it's just not direct to consumer for the most part it's more targeted towards a higher and market.
And their domain control back end is lacking some features (eg. you need to open a ticket to set DNSSEC)
What are the other features? I don't really consider a lack of DNSSEC support is a major issue given the lack of uptake in the market for it.
@Kyle-K: DNSSEC is the only thing I found was missing, but yeah sent them an email and got a reply pretty quickly saying they would set it up for me just send them the details.
On the launch of .au I was kind of hoping Micron21 would get the domains I wanted so I could get the cheaper renewals but Ventra and clickhost got everything first only managed to get 1 domain with Micron in the end.
But if i were buying today I don't see why I would go with Ventra over Micron21 unless I am missing something.
On the launch of .au I was kind of hoping Micron21 would get the domains I wanted so I could get the cheaper renewals but Ventra and clickhost got everything first only managed to get 1 domain with Micron in the end.
That's because Micron21 didn't need to compete in the same retail space as VentraIP. They target completely different markets.
VentraIP, to compete in the space for launch of direct needed to invest significantly in systems and essentially needed to stand up a drop catching service which also involved cost as unlike others in the market, they don't have multiple registry accreditations and needed to purchase additional registry connections.
But that money, I don't know how much for their benefit, but for consumers benefit was well spent, and they did pretty good competing against the largest industry drop catcher and probably landed there success rate at number two or three.
Just in case you don't know, Clickhost is owned by former staff of NetVirtue who started the company after the NetVirtue brand was acquired by VentraIP both these companies used Synergy Wholesale which is VentraIPs wholesale brand technically now Nexigen Digital for selling domains.
But if i were buying today I don't see why I would go with Ventra over Micron21 unless I am missing something.
It really just comes down to personal preference, while I'm not a big fan of the direction things are heading at Nexigen Digital own brands, I still use Synergy Wholesale personally for .au domains everything else, I now register with Porkbun.com and for normal people looking for a provider, I recommend Clickhost and DreamIT or Porkbun if they want other types of domains.
Micron21 is pretty good as well, but they're more at the higher end when it comes to other services and their support has always been on point for a company targeting that part of the market.
Personally and for my consultancy and full-time day job with diversified holdings across multiple platforms and vendors when it comes to domains and hosting now.
Any deals on renewals?
No, this deals existed since the launch and does not apply to renewals, renewal deals are rare on domain names is typically the discount doesn't come out of the registrars pocket, it's normally a first year discount offered by the the registry, the registrars keep a normal profit margin and pass on the discount for the first year.
But given VIPs profit here they could technically offer a discount they were happy to sell .au domain names at $10.50 with their budget brand Zuver.
I've only ever seen them offer a renewal discount on .au domains twice but typically, this type of deal is restrictive, because you can only renew in the last 90 days of a domain name referred to as the renew period. we've .au domains.
Which means if they were to offer it today and your domain wasn't in the last 90 days you wouldn't be able to take advantage of the discount if it had an expiry unless it was going to enter that period during the promotional term.
I’m a VentraIP customer and can confirm they will not honour any renewal matching or low cost. You jump up directly to the bend over price.
I would recommend totally skipping VentraIP and go directly to Micron21 and save yourself the hassle. They change wholesale prices for good.
VentraIP is okay when you get a low price. At normal cost, it isn't worth it.
Great deal. I signed up for 5 years.