Microsoft becomes domain registrar
Microsoft has become an ICANN-accredited domain registrar.
Microsoft is now an accredited domain name registrar. There are a a number of reasons Microsoft likely took this step.
First, Microsoft gives away a free domain with its Office Live service. Ahead of becoming a registrar it was registering these domains through Melbourne IT. By becoming a registrar Microsoft will have more control over the process and get the wholesale domain price (approximately $6.25 for .com domains).
Second, becoming a registrar will give Microsoft better access to domain data. This can be used to improve its search listings. Google became a registrar for similar reasons, although changes to the way domains are deleted has foiled their plans. The idea was that Google would see when a domain was deleted and changed hands based on the registration date in whois. But as expired domains began being directly transferred to fresh registrants the registration date was not updated.
Vint Cerf, Chairman of ICANN’s board and Chief Internet Evangelist, complained regarding this at an ICANN meeting over the summer. (See Domain name reassignment foils Google.)
