Update of the AFNIC Whois database

The liberalization of registration rules in May 2004 brought about important evolution in the Naming charter. Amongst others, three “new” rules have a repercussion on information published in the AFNIC Whois database:

· the administrative contact must be based in France,
the owner of a domain name must give a telephone number,
the owner of a domain name must give a valid e-mail address.

If the domain names registered after May, 11th 2004 respect these conditions, the 196.000 domain names registered before this date don’t.
In order to avoid inconsistencies in its database, the AFNIC will check the information related to domain names registered before May, 11th 2004 and will suggest or require an update if necessary.
This operation will be made with the help of AFNIC registrars and will start on March, 1st 2005.

For further information and practical details, please find below a copy of the e-mail sent by AFNIC (Isabel Toutaud) to its registrars on February, 15th 2005.

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Hello,

The qualification of the domain names registered before the 11th May 2004 is about to begin!

By the 1st March 2005, we will need your help to update the Whois database.

Two cases are distinguished:

domain names registered or modified before the 11th May 2004;
domain names registered or modified after the 11th May 2004.

AFNIC will verify the admin-contact abroad, the phone and email, which do not appear for the juridical entities, which domain name was registered before May, 11th 2004.

1. If the checking is conform to the Naming charter:

No ticket will be sent.
The Whois database will be updated automatically.
Publication on the Whois database: “Identified: O”.

2. If the checking is not conform to the Naming charter…

…You will receive an Identification “Problèmes” ticket.
Two possibilities appear:

A) Admin-contact for a domain name registered *before* May, 11th 2004

No email address and phone number for the owner.

AFNIC will suggest to be conform to the Naming charter.
Receipt of a “Problemes” ticket; Abandon if no solution is found after 30 days.
Publication on the Whois database:

No information if the checking is not good.
“Identified: O” if the checking is good.

Note: If the registrar is French, he can appear as the admin-contact.

B) Admin-contact for a domain name registered or modified *after* May, 11th 2004

Erased entities; erased trademarks or trademarks transmitted to an other owner.

Application of the Naming charter.
Receipt of a “Problemes” ticket; “blocking” of the domain name after 30 days ; Deletion of the domain name if no solution is found.
Publication on the Whois database: “Identified: O” if the checking is good.

Attention :

– We recommand you to use the administrative modification form right now to modify the information (you probably will not receive a lot of “problèmes” tickets if you do so).

– In any operation (change of registrar, transmission, …), you will have to be conform to the Naming charter.

– The registration department is available to answer to your questions and help you to find a good solution for your customers.

Best regards,

The AFNIC team.

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