News for those groups that have their own website. Nominet, the organisation that manages the dot uk registration system - including .co.uk and .org.uk - has changed its renewal system.

You don't actually own your dot uk domain name (your website address). Instead it is registered to you for two years, after which time it needs to be renewed. As the current holder of that domain name, you will have first chance to renew it.

Under the new renewal system, Nominet will only contact domain owners once to let them know their domain name is expiring. If it isn't renewed after 90 days it will expire and become available for anyone else to use.

Most of you will have registered your domain name through your Internet Service Provider (such as BT, AOL or Freeserve for example) and they are likely to have their own reminder systems.

However, if you don't want to find someone else using your website and email addresses, it's worth knowing when your domain name is due to expire and double checking that it's been renewed.

8 More information is on the Nominet website www.nominet.org.uk

(from Network News, Sept/Oct 2003)