59Box - China Hosting Blog

Whole truth about registering .cn domain

March 25th, 2007

We encountered so many myths, facts and fallacies concerning the registration of .cn domain I think it is time to provide the right information.

Indeed, many webhosting companies in China are not aware of the details since they  operated in the local market context. Amazingly even some of the accredited registrars are not able to give the right answer if you query them (whether out of ignorance or on purpose I do not know).

Backgrounder

First let’s get to know some background information. The .cn domain, also know as the countr-code top-level domain (cctld) for China is administrated by the national body CNNIC (China Internet Network Information Center). This means that the domains you had registered are governed by their policies.

There are 6 .cn cctld - .cn, .com.cn, .net.cn, .org.cn, .edu.cn, .gov.cn. Of which .cn and .com.cn are the ones of interest to most people.

Although you can register .cn and .com, .net domains at the same time, the .cn domain is not governed by the body that manage the .com, .net global domain. This brings us to the next point.

How to register? 

Like most other top-level domains, the .cn domains are distributed by domain registrars. The top registrars are accredited directed by CNNIC. These registrars then distribute through a network of sub-registrar or resellers.

59Box, for example, is a domain reseller.  There is nothing wrong with getting from a domain reseller who may differentiate based on service, price, product bundle or other creative offers.

So far so good, but here’s where things start to turn interesting.

The price you paid

If you register your domain in China, most likely through a Chinese provider, the price you would had paid is likely between ￥60 - ￥200 (about US$7.80 - 26).

If you had registered your domain outside of China, the price you would had paid is probably from US$25-50.

Imperfect market information and price discrimination aside, one of the least known fact about CNNIC accreditation is that it is divided into domestic and international. Domestic registrar (within China) are handled by CNNIC directly. International registrars are handled exclusively through an organization known as NeuLevel, Inc.

Beside pricing, this little known division also cause some problems to the unaware.  Chief of which is transferring.

Transferring domains

Why do you want to transfer domain? There are a few reasons. You may have a few domains registered with different registrars and want to consolidate them with one registrar. Or you simply want to save money. Sometime you may need to transfer because of some restriction or requirement imposed by the hosting company.

If you had been used to the ease of transferring .com domain, trying to transfer a .cn domain is an exercise in patience. Lots of it.

Transferring between a domestic registrar and an international registrar is a gray area! Previously it was not allowed but Neulevel’s FAQ seems to indicate it is possible in one direction. Transferring from an international registrar to a domestic registrar is highly unlikely.

Before you start thinking that transferring between domestic registrars would be simple, stop. Many domestic registrars still practice the unscrupulous tactic of holding a domain name hostage. We had have a few clients whose domain were systematically obstructed when transferring. But you legitimately owned a domain, going through some paperwork should solve it.

Your Options?

If you are operating in China, register your domain with a domestic company (like us!). There is no reason to register with an international provider and pay much more (for less).

Previously if you do not have a presence in China, an international registrar is the only alternative. However companies such as 59Box (us) are starting to appear and fill the gap. Providing lower cost .cn domain registration at a service level that international clients are accustomed to expect.

Do you have any other problems with .cn domains? I certainly hope to hear any feedback and try to help any much as I can.

Entry Filed under: Domain Name