TzNIC

Type:	Non-profit organization
Industry:	Registry
Founded:	2006
Headquarters:	LAPF Millenium Towers Ground Floor Suite #4, New Bagamoyo Road, P.O. Box 34543. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Country:	Tanzania
Website:	tznic.or.tz

TzNIC, or the Tanzania Network Information Center is a non-profit organization established by the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) to manage and control the operations of the ccTLD for Tanzania, .tz. It is also responsible for managing the second level domain names that come under .tz. The Tanzania Network Information Center was established on 16th November 2006 with the certificate of incorporation No. 58303. The center was established as company limited by guarantee and not by having a share capital as per the Laws of Tanzania (Chapter 212).

History

Around June 1993 and 1994, three Tanzanians Prof. Beda Mutagahwa, Bill Sangiwa and Kitalima Mabula along with the assistance of Mr. Randy Bush, an internet pioneer in those days introduced the registration of .tz ccTLD. So in accordance with ISO-3166 standards, the ccTLD .tz was registered with the assistance of IANA and ICANN. The registration was successful and with the assistance of the government of United Republic of Tanzania the work for the development of internet in the country began with the Prof. Beda as the director of the University Computing Center and Randy Bush as the technical contact for the matters of the registered ccTLD. The .tz ccTLD became operational in August 1994. In the mid of 2005 a committee was setup for the establishing .tz ccTLD under TzNIC a non-profit organization and thus with a view of having a non-profit organization manage and regulate the .tz ccTLD TzNIC was established.

TzNIC organization structure

Functions of TzNIC

The important functions which TzNIC perform include the following:

• Proper regulation and management of the .tz domain name space.
• To match the international standards for the management of the ccTLDs and all the second level domain names related to it.
• To register the domain names by providing correct guidelines to the consumers and associating with the registries and registrars for the appropriate regulation and management of the registration of the domain names.
• Issue regular guidelines to all the members about the management and registration of the .tz domain name space.
• Issue time to time information and create awareness amongst the members of the group about the various standard procedures and requirements which are essential for the domain name registration.
• Issue important notices for any alterations or changes in any guidelines, policies or rules which assist in the registration of the .tz domain name space.

ICANN and TzNIC

ICANN on 30th April 2010 approved the re- delegation of country code Top Level Domain for United Republican of Tanzania (.tz) to TzNIC- Tanzania Network Information Center. ICANN acts as a standard policy making body for TzNIC and all the related .tz ccTLD. tzNIC adopts and follows ICANN’s Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (DRP). It also abides the rules and regulations, procedures and norms for the dispute resolution set by ICANN. ICANN along with tzNIC also assists in the development of internet and related services in Tanzania by providing various guidelines.