EZIBroker.net just announced a reservation service that will let you request an iname prior to the upcoming global launch. The service will open for taking names at 12 noon PST, Monday, May 22nd.
You can read the full text of their announcement below, but for anyone who has been waiting on an XNS reserved name or has an organizational name in mind, this seems like a good approach.
At this time, EZIBroker is the only ibroker we know to be offering this service, meaning that getting a name on their list provides some good odds of getting the name you want; (plus you only get charged if they succeed). The odds could change if other ibrokers offer a similar service.
If anyone knows of another service like this, please let us know and we’ll post info here.
Update: We just heard from another i-broker that plans to operate a similar service. We hope to provide more details including a link as soon as possible.
=== EZIBroker Announcement ===
LET YOUR FRIENDS KNOW:
EZIBRoker to offer I-Name Reserve service.
EZIBroker will be one of the first Global I-Brokers selling i-names through it’s various retailers. As a Global I-Broker, EZIBroker is able to directly register names in the global registry through Neustar’s programmatic API.
Starting Monday, May 22nd at 12 noon PST we will open a service that
let’s folks request a name to be registered at the global launch.
This is a good way to obtain names that have been reserved or otherwise unavailable before the global launch.
Here’s a quick summary of how it works:
1] Starting 5/22 and continuing until a few days before the registry opens, you can add names you want to the list.
2] Names added to the list must be unique - if you attempt to add a name already on the list it won’t be accepted.
3] When the global registry opens for business, EZIBroker will attempt registration of all names on the list as fast as it can in the order they were added to the list.
4] If a name you “reserved” is successfully registered, you will pay the normal cost of registration plus a $10 premium for the “reserve”
service. You pay nothing if the attempt is unsuccessful.
The I-Name Reserve web form will be available Monday at:
http://www.EZIBroker.net/reserve.nsf
For those that want more details, read on…
In order to give everyone an equal opportunity to get their names on the list we will open the list at noon (PST) on Monday May 22nd. The list will work on a first come first served basis. Once someone has put =andy on the list no-one else will be able to. The list will be processed in the order it was received. We make no guarantees about our ability to get the i-names that you want, if you don’t get the i-name, you pay nothing.
We are going to charge $10 over the basic retail price for each name on the list that we successfully procure for you. If we don’t get any names for you, you pay nothing.
When you sign up on the list, you won’t initially have to pay anything. However, shortly after the list opens we will send you a confirmation and payment details; a deposit to guarantee payment in the event your registration will likely be required. Payment details will be sent to you if you put your names on the list. If you don’t like the terms, you pay nothing and we take your names off the list. We need to do this to ensure that all requests are serious.
If you have questions please email: reserve@ezibroker.net
Yours,
EZIBroker Team