One of the country’s popular domain names .np (or .com.np) is to come at a cost following the government’s new stance. In a new draft bill proposal released by the Ministry of Communication, Information, and Technology (MoCIT) for the Management of Information Technology and Cyber Security, it’s mentioned that the popular and free domain will come for a price. It means the government will now take control of the domain registration from Mercantile Communication. Additionally, the post will also guide you through how to register a .com.np domain the easiest way online in Nepal.
To put this into perspective, the .np domain is useful for individuals or organizations including government agencies for their blogs, websites, and portals. So far, the .np domain is easily available to register and free for all too. All you needed to do was go to the webpage, check for your preferred domain name with the .np suffix, and proceed. But while the process and all is still butter smooth, it will now come only at a cost. The bottom line is this- If you want to register your domain with a .np name, then you will have to pay a sum.
The news might bemuse many too. The .np domain or .com.np has been provided by Mercantile Communication since its inception. So, individuals or businesses can register their domain with .com.np for free. It’s beneficial for startups or individuals for to promote their content or make blogs. Many also register their personal domain so that they can make use of it in the future. However, paying a cost for it might displease the public. So far, the government hasn’t made any information explicit relating to the fee for the .np domain. So, we will need to wait more to get the update on the pricing.
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The government puts a price on the .com.np domain
The provision is stated in the recently published draft bill by the MoCIT for the Management of Information Technology and Cyber Security in Nepal. In the draft bill, article 66 of section 6 under domain name registration and management, stated that the cyber security department of the government will now maintain, regulate, and manage the .np domain. Next, article 67 states that if any individual or organization wants to register a name in the .np domain, they will need to pay a fee.
The bill will now enter discussions before its approval and implementation. It mentions that after registration, no other individual or organization will be allowed to use the same domain name. Likewise, no one shall register a name that resembles an existing one. For government agencies, the domain name shall follow the registration as per government.np. The draft bill has also proposed that the .np domain names shall have their renewal every two years.
For the existing .np domain names, the bill adds that after the bill gets approval, they need to be registered conforming to this regulation within six months. The government hasn’t implemented this regulation.
Do read: Social media rules in Nepal: List of what you can’t do?
How to register a .com.np domain in Nepal the easiest way online?
Here are the steps to register your .com.np domain name in Nepal:
- First, visit the registration page.
- Enter your desired domain and click on Search to see if it’s still available.
- If it’s available, click on Register Now and proceed. However, if the domain name is not available, then enter another domain and see if it works.
- Now, submit your email and password to register your account.
- Enter the details and click Create Account.
- Open your email for verification.
- Now, sign in with your account. Fill out the given online form and upload the required documents.
- Wait till your domain is approved.
Note: The files you upload should be in jpg, png, jpeg, gif, and svg file format and should not exceed 800 KB in size.
Having to pay for the .com.np domain name could displease and discourage the beginners as it was a free process. However, let’s hope that the registration process remains easy and the cost is minimal.
Check out: How to apply for National ID card in Nepal? FAQs
Tell us what you think of the .np domain registration cost and the process to register .com.np and .net.np domains, in the comment box below.
