Nic.at
 | |
| Type: | Private Limited Company |
| Industry: | Domain Registry |
| Founded: | 1998 |
| Headquarters: | Jakob-Haringer-Straße 8/V, 5020 Salzburg, Austria |
| Businesses: | Domain Registration, Maintenance and Security |
| Employees: | 45 employees & subcontractor University of Vienna |
| Website: | Nic.at |
| Key People | |
| Richard Wein (CEO) | |
Nic.at functions as a Central Registrar for every domain that end with .at, and it also administers the same. All requests for registration for .at domains are routed through it's office and any such domain can only become active if it is first registered at Nic.at.
Note however, that the gv.at extension is controlled by the Federal Government, while the ac.at extension falls under the auspices of the University of Vienna. [1]
History
The .at domains were administered since 1988 through the University of Vienna. However, as the Internet spread, the number of registrations vastly increased, making it necessary to have a business oriented company handle these registrations rather than a public authority.
With this in mind, the present company was established in 1998. In the year 2000 a limited liability company was founded.
The domain name council, which governs the organization, is made up of a wide spectrum of interest groups, with the goal of creating policies that are fair to everyone. [2]
Business
The company obviously earns its revenue largely through the sale of .at registrations and offers two avenues of purchase: either through direct registration or through registrar.
The company insists that a direct contract be agreed to and maintained between Nic.at and the individual domain owner. [3]
Products and Services
Registration and Administration: The company's primary function is both the registry and subsequent administration of all .at domains.
Maintenance and Security: Nic.at also ensures maintenance of all these domains, as well as their security. The automatic checks of the domains are supplemented by manual checks as well.
Customer Service: Nic.at offers customer service, as well as Whois service for .at domains.
News Service: The company also regularly publishes domain related news.
Representation: The company represents the online Austrian community with bodies such as ICANN, CENTR and RIPE. The company also maintains close ties with its parent body, the University of Vienna. [4]
Recent news
The company put through a new gTLD in 2010, as well as updated their website.
The Nic.at team also worked on the development of contingency plans, as well as a DNSSEC testbed. [5]