Obtain an Alternative Domain Name
A Web Hosting Article Contributed by Frances Rhea
More Alternative Domain Name Choices
It's not too late to register a great domain name even if you do not want a .com or your domain name has been taken. Creative entrepreneurs use their marketing savvy, geography, and imagination to get a great Web address. Consider some of these alternatives.
Alternative Domain Name Registrars
Name.Space sponsored by PGPMedia offers a choice that is meatier than most and cheaper too. They offer the software and know-how you need to get set up with alternate DNS servers, and to acquire any top level domain name you want.
W3Corp. has a very comprehensive domain name registration service. They range from standard TLDs such as .com, .net along with others such as a country domain name. There are about 180 countries available. Their prices range from $25 to $250 per year.
Pre-Registered Domain Name
If you are eager to get your hands on the new top domains, HANIC will let you pre-register .news names for free. You will be billed as soon as the domain name becomes available. The cost is $100 for 2 years plus $50 per year thereafter.
If you like to gamble and want a chance on one of the 7 new domain names, TAT USA accepts pre-registration for a non-refundable $30. There is a balance of $70 when the name becomes available. They do not guarantee to get the domain name, only do their best to try to secure the name. You should carefully weigh the potential $30 loss against the benefit of getting the domain name you want in the future.
This.Is offers a novel twist on the usual domain names. They offer the domain name this.is/yourname for between $200 to $30, 000 per year. Of course, you do not own the domain name, you just get the right to use it for a limited number of hits!
Another twist on the normal domain name is offered by Names By Net. For $95/year they offer yourname.by.net. This is not a true secondary domain name, but a third-level domain name which means you do not own it.
WebNames Network provides domain name forwarding services using sites under the ".web" top level domain. The .web names are not yet mainstream so only a small percent of your users will be able to access your domain. The charge of $25 for six months (around $30/year) is the cost of registering your own .web name.
Conclusion
As you can see, having an alternative solution is not always the best due to costs and inconvenience. There is nothing like have your own company domain name registered by a .com registrar. Unless your finances cannot afford the small cost or if you have a personal web site that you share with friends, then go with a domain name redirection service. After all its free and can shorten that awful URL to something that your friends and family can remember. Many small home business use this alternative also to direct their customers.
