Nominet, the official registry for .uk domain names is upgrading their system today to permit 1-10 year registration and renewal periods.
Similar registration terms are already standard at most domain registries and this upgrade will be welcomed with open arms by .uk registrants. Up until this day .uk domain names (.co.uk, .org.uk, .me.uk, etc) could only be registered and renewed for 2 year periods. The 1 year (wholesale) price will be 40% higher per year at £3.50 + VAT, compared to the 2 year price of £5.00 + VAT.
According to a recent poll we have been conducting at iGoldrush that asks "How many years do you typically register a domain for?" [1], an overwhelming 68% of users have selected 1 year, so this is clearly a smart move by Nominet.
Nominet recently announced [2] their 10 millionth .uk domain registration, and with close to an 8% growth rate. .uk is the 4th most popular domain name, after .com, .de and .net
Price changes and other features are included in this upgrade, and a complete overview can be viewed on the following webinar: