Enter Hubbard Media, a UK tech company announced today a new program for Backordering and Drop Catching expiring .uk domain names.

However the system they announced is completely different from the auction systems we’re used to here.

“There are no difficult APIs to follow; no auctions, and no third-party intermediaries to worry about as there are in the .com space. You become your own registrar for a small fee for membership registration and system access (via the ‘DAC’ or ‘Domain Availability Checker’) – fees which are applied directly by Nominet UK.”””

Hubbard announce their range of services as follows:

1. Complete 24/7 DAC hosting and use of their bespoke EPP catching script which can poll the DAC 432,000 times per rolling 24 hours and catch domains via Nominet’s EPP server within milliseconds. Price: £300 per month plus £150 one-off setup fee. There is no contractual commitment over and above a single month.

Nominet membership and DAC access is required. Nominet currently charge a one-off fee of £400 for membership setup, then £100 per annum for continued membership and £20 per annum for DAC access, all plus VAT. UK domains are charged by Nominet at £5 plus VAT.

Total initial cost of entry: Circa £1,000 GBP or ~$2,000 USD. Nominet membership is available outside of the UK. Hubbard Media has clients worldwide.

2. For those without Nominet membership and DAC access, Hubbard Media offer a ‘per name’ backordering fee of £30 each, plus Nominet transfer fees of £11.75 per name, or £25.85 in total for three or more. Direct registration (no transfer fees) is available to bulk account customers booking 50 names per month. Hubbard do NOT double-book backordered names for hosted or any other clients.

3. The very important ‘drop lists’; i.e. lists of names dropping on a daily basis by date are offered at £50 per month. These .uk drop lists currently average 600 names per day.

These three services are bookable through the simple interface at Hubbard Media’s web site at www.dropsystem.co.uk

If you have interest the Contact info is as follows:

Hubbard Media
Shangri La House
Sidmouth Road
Clyst St Mary
Devon EX5 1DN
United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0)77959 73254
dale.hubbard@dropsystem.co.uk
simon.hubbard@dropsystem.co.uk