I have a few domains with Godaddy and I am annoyed with their complicated user interface and their tendency to always try to sell me additional stuff if I just want to register or extend a domain.

Anyway because of that I searched around and found 1and1. All looked good there are mixed comments everywhere on how good or bad they are and I wanted to share one thing with everybody that I haven't found on any board but that I noticed.

Private registration - they are the only ones that offer that for free and there is a reason for that!

When you register a domain with any other registrar what they do is transfer the domain and add one year to the registration period that is registered with ICANN. So if you have 6 months left and a year get's added on transfer you have 18 months left on registration.

1and1 doesn't do that and that's why they offer private registration!

They transfer your domain and charge you for one year but they will NOT adjust your domain expiry date. You renewal date is the date of transfer. So when you have six months left on your domain and transfer to 1and1 you basically loose 6 months on your registration.

Now that's why they offer private registration because then the ICANN expiry date doesn't show in the whois information!

So anybody considering them keep this in mind. I guess if you register a new domain it doesn't matter because you get your full 12 months but if you have months or even years left on your registration be vary of the 1and1 deal of free private registration that sounds to good to be true!

Could you post the domain name to check it?

with a transfer a full year is added, not some months

Here is a domain hosted with Godaddy:

http://whois.domaintools.com/schmidhome.com

Registry Data

ICANN Registrar: GODADDY.COM, INC.
Created: 2007-09-20
Expires: 2010-09-20
Updated: 2008-04-25
Registrar Status: clientDeleteProhibited
Registrar Status: clientRenewProhibited
Registrar Status: clientTransferProhibited
Registrar Status: clientUpdateProhibited
Name Server: NS13.DOMAINCONTROL.COM (has 18,571,787 domains)
Name Server: NS14.DOMAINCONTROL.COM
Whois Server: whois.godaddy.com


Here is one hosted with 1and1:

http://whois.domaintools.com/sw-exclusiv.de

Registry Data

Updated: 2007-06-16
Whois Server: whois.denic.de



Here is the email I got from 1and1:


Thank you for contacting us.

When you transfer a domain to us or between ID numbers, we charge a
$5.99 transfer fee and the billing cycle begins on that date. We will
charge the yearly renewal fee on the date of transfer, and not the
domains renewal date, which stays the same after the transfer.
Unfortunately we do not honor extended registration periods.

If you have any further questions do not hesitate to contact us.

--
Sincerely
Billing Department
1&1 Internet Inc.

OMG....

What a SCAM that is, I know they are "iffy" with their support services, well, lack of them, but that above if true is just darn dishonest!

SO If I am understanding, if you "move" between accounts they charge that much? wow

Other than that issue, is 1and1 a good place to transfer a domain? I have a domain that is expiring in October, and I have been looking for a company that isnt very expensive. so now is the time to transfer it I suppose..

Other than that issue, is 1and1 a good place to transfer a domain? I have a domain that is expiring in October, and I have been looking for a company that isnt very expensive. so now is the time to transfer it I suppose..

From reading the forum, start running ;) transfer it now and you get a free year, or in 1and1 terms a cost and then you pay extra for that year extension ;)

Chris :)

I have a few domains with Godaddy and I am annoyed with their complicated user interface and their tendency to always try to sell me additional stuff if I just want to register or extend a domain.

Anyway because of that I searched around and found 1and1. All looked good there are mixed comments everywhere on how good or bad they are and I wanted to share one thing with everybody that I haven't found on any board but that I noticed.

Private registration - they are the only ones that offer that for free and there is a reason for that!

When you register a domain with any other registrar what they do is transfer the domain and add one year to the registration period that is registered with ICANN. So if you have 6 months left and a year get's added on transfer you have 18 months left on registration.

1and1 doesn't do that and that's why they offer private registration!

They transfer your domain and charge you for one year but they will NOT adjust your domain expiry date. You renewal date is the date of transfer. So when you have six months left on your domain and transfer to 1and1 you basically loose 6 months on your registration.

Now that's why they offer private registration because then the ICANN expiry date doesn't show in the whois information!

So anybody considering them keep this in mind. I guess if you register a new domain it doesn't matter because you get your full 12 months but if you have months or even years left on your registration be vary of the 1and1 deal of free private registration that sounds to good to be true!

In my opinion it is easy to get into 1and1, but nearly impossible to get out.