I have been keeping my eye on a domain name that had expired ages ago, and as the topic would suggest, the previous owner registered it through NetSol.

Just yesterday night however, I noticed a change in the whois. It no longer provided the standard Admin, Tech, etc contacts...just this...

Note: I've edited out the domain name and nameservers

Domain not found locally, but Registry points back to local DB.
Local whois DB must be out of date.

Whois Server Version 1.3

Domain names in the .com, .net, and .org domains can now be registered
with many different competing registrars. Go to http://www.internic.net
for detailed information.

Domain Name: <<edited out>>.COM
Registrar: NETWORK SOLUTIONS, INC.
Whois Server: whois.networksolutions.com
Referral URL: http://www.networksolutions.com
Name Server: <<edited out>>
Name Server: <<edited out>>
Updated Date: 04-jun-2001


>>> Last update of whois database: Sat, 9 Jun 2001 02:04:17 EDT <<<

The Registry database contains ONLY .COM, .NET, .ORG, .EDU domains and Registrars.

The previous information has been obtained either directly from the registrant or a registrar of the domain name other than Network Solutions.
Network Solutions, therefore, does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.


I also did a whois on several other expired domains, but those still provided the standard full contact details.

Could it mean that NetSol is actually going to release this domain?

That's generally the precursor to the domain actually dropping. I've found, though, that once the domain is dropped from the local DB it can still take a while for it to drop out of Internic's DB.

So that does mean that this expired domain is on it's way out yeah?

I don't mind waiting for it to be dropped from Internic's DB as long as I know that it is going to be dropped and not held hostage for auction or something.

My god...it just got pretty cold down below :)

Colin, you have to watch closely. When a domain I've monitored reached that stage, it took only a few days (3-4 days?) before it was made available again. :cool:

It's about to drop and will be available to register by anyone soon.

How long after the EXP date did this start happening?

Originally posted by CWIhosting
How long after the EXP date did this start happening?
There seem to be no pattern. I've got two domains that have expired and not paid for more than a year but the two are still active. I've got one domain that has expired last February and was dropped two weeks ago.

Originally posted by CWIhosting
How long after the EXP date did this start happening?

Usually, at LEAST 2 months. Often, longer. It seems to vary greatly. But I've never seen NetSol drop one before 2 months.