Some .fr-registrants might be up for a surprise

During the course of 2011, the .fr-registry (AFNIC) applied some new rules to their registrars. This meant every existing .fr-registrar had to re-apply to be able to remain a registrar and had to go through some tests and verifications in order to remain officially accredited by the registry. The dead-line for this was actually begin 2012, but some registrars still haven’t completed their accreditation tests or simply choose to terminate their registrarship.

Once a registrar-contract has been terminated, all domain names previously managed by that registrar have to be moved to an other registrar. The .fr-registry has chosen to simply give the domain name portfolio to any other .fr-registry that asks for this. The first other .fr-registrar to apply for taking over the portfolio of a .fr-registrar who stopped operation their registration business, will be handed over the domain names. Some rules apply for them to follow, but this does mean that some .fr-registration might find their .fr domain name suddenly managed by a registrar they have never heard of. Maybe even one that isn’t easy to reach or that might not even have a website in French.

It currently isn’t known how many domain names are involved in this. The first domain name portfolio’s will be handed out the 22’d of May. More news follows…