The .ie Domain Registry (IEDR) has reduced the price of a .ie domain by 13pc, bringing the total reduction in the cost of an Irish domain to 50pc since 2003.
This latest price reduction follows a series of price cuts, including 20pc in 2006, 12.5pc in 2005 and 10pc in 2004.
At present the price of registering a domain name in Ireland is €79 a year for maintenance plus €13.59 Vat adding up to €86.59. The reduced total should amount to €75.34.
The IEDR said the 13pc price reduction has been introduced as a result of continued growth in registrations, which have now passed 70,000, representing a 30pc increase on the total number of .ie domains in the last 12 months.
At present .ie domain names account for almost 40pc of the market for domains in Ireland.
The IEDR said the continued surge in growth is largely driven by the IEDR’s internal process improvements and the demand for domains.
David Curtin, chief executive of the IEDR, said: “A 50pc reduction in our prices since 2003 clearly shows the IEDR’s commitment to giving consumers value for money.
“With over 70,000 .ie domains, which represents almost 40pc of the Irish domain market, the sustained growth of the IEDR demonstrates the demand for domains from a highly respected managed registry,” he said.
Earlier this week the IEDR and its Austrian counterpart the Internet Foundation of Austria (IPA) emerged as the winning consortium to manage Ireland’s electronic numbering (ENUM) service, which will enable converged voice, internet and email communications.
On the ENUM service agreement with the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) Curtin said: “The IEDR has achieved much in managing Ireland’s top-level domain name country code .ie to ensure that Ireland has a well-managed and highly respected domain name registry. Together with our IENUM partner we look forward to providing a world-class ENUM registry and ENUM infrastructure for Ireland.
“Over the coming months we will work closely with ComReg and the ENUM Policy Advisory Board to provide Ireland’s ENUM registry. We will also work closely with the telecommunications and internet service providers to enable them to provide new and converged services such as voice over IP, next-generation networks (NGNs) and fixed-mobile convergence,” Curtin concluded.
By John Kennedy
