DNCL directs Voyager Internet on 24/7 Hosting breaches

Following a number of serious and ongoing .nz policy breaches by reseller 24/7 Hosting the Domain Name Commission Limited (DNCL) has directed Voyager Internet to communicate with 24/7 Hosting's .nz customers - letting those under 24/7 Hosting's reseller account know that they must transfer to a new registrar by Saturday 20 September 2014.

Affected registrants must transfer their .nz name to an organisation that does comply with the .nz policies by Saturday 20 September 2014. If they don't then their .nz domain name will be cancelled.

DNCL acknowledges Voyager Internet's efforts to-date in helping many of 24/7 Hosting's .nz customers regain control of their .nz domain names. However - as the authorised registrar used by 24/7 Hosting - Voyager Internet is ultimately responsible and therefore is itself in breach of .nz policies due to the actions of 24/7 Hosting.

Why is this happening?

One of DNCL's core duties is to protect the rights of registrants. In March this year, when serious concerns about 24/7 Hosting's registration practices first emerged, Voyager Internet contacted DNCL. A public warning was issued and both Voyager Internet and DNCL have been working to try and resolve the problems being experienced by many of 24/7 Hosting's .nz customers.

Despite these efforts, the problems are persisting. Repeated attempts by both the Domain Name Commission and Voyager Internet to contact 24/7 Hosting's management have been futile and the company continues to provide poor to nonexistent service.

Registrants have a number of rights under the .nz policy framework, but 24/7 Hosting has not been honouring those rights and show no signs of doing so. Many 24/7 Hosting customers for example are still unable to manage their domain names and DNCL is seriously concerned that those who have yet to renew their .nz names will experience problems when they come to do so.

DNCL has lost its confidence in 24/7 Hosting's ability to manage and maintain registrations and renewals of .nz names on behalf of its customers, and so is taking this action now to protect registrants' best interests.

Voyager Internet has therefore been directed to contact .nz customers under 24/7 Hosting's reseller account, telling them to transfer their names to a new registrar - one that complies with and follows .nz policies and procedures.

Please note that this action applies to .nz names-only registered by 24/7 Hosting. DNCL has no responsibility over .com names, or any hosting services.