ASNIC policy:
Definition of terms:
Name space: Refers to any conceptual area in which names must be unique.
Domain: An Internet domain.
Entity: Refers to a person, organization, company, corporation, or other group which attempts to organize under a common name and publish that names as an Internet domain name. With regard to the registry ASNIC an entity is represented by the administrative contact as stated in the domain name application form.
Registrant: An entity which has registered a domain or is in the progress of registering.
Registry: A registry is an organization occupied with registration of domain names. Hereinafter designated as ASNIC.
Registrar: A registrar is the person which is authorized to enter and modify a registry's data based on data supplied by the registrant and on the requirements of the latter.
Repository: It contains the primary (master) data for the registry and is subsequently also designated as WHOIS database.
Description of ASNIC: An organization specifically founded for the purpose of administering Internet domain names below the top level domain of .AS. The top level of .AS has been delegated to ASNIC by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA).
Conditions of terms:
Types of registered domain names: Second-level domains.
Eligibility for registration: Any entity may register domain names, independent of the location of the entity.
Equal rules: The registry ASNIC applies identical rules and policies to all applications made by entities.
DNS: Applicants are required to have primary and secondary DNS name servers connected to the Internet full-time. Any domain applied for must be reachable by ASNIC for queries and zone transfers.
Responsibility: With regard to the registry ASNIC, the administrative contact in the application form is responsible for a domain and is therefore required to be a member or an authorized agent of the entity stated in the organizational contact (not applicable to natural persons) field.
Holder of domain name: The holder of a domain name is the entity stated as the organizational contact or, in case of natural persons, the person stated as the administrative contact.
Responsibilities for domain: Entities registering domain names are fully responsible for their rights to said name. Submission of a domain registration constitutes no warranty to ASNIC that entity has rights to use the submitted name, i.e., entities statements in the application form are required to be true and entity is required to have the right to use the domain name as requested in the application. Entity shall indemnify ASNIC from any litigation costs or damages resulting from entity's use of said name. ASNIC, and it's servants and agents, is hereby expressly exempted from any and all responsibility for the verification of rights to a name. Acceptance of an application and registration of a domain name constitutes no endorsement by ASNIC that registrant has a right to use the domain name in question under the laws of any state which might be applicable, e.g. with regard to names of natural or legal persons, trade names or trademarks.
Rules for domain names: Domain names must contain more than 2 and up to 21 alpha-numeric characters per name (a..z, 0..9). Domain names may not begin or end with a hyphen (-), but may contain one. No other special characters besides the hyphen are permitted. Third-level domain names may be up to 21 characters in length. Domain names considered offensive or in bad taste are not permitted. Violations are subject to immediate deactivation.
Processing order of requests: Applications for new domain names are processed in chronological order of receipt by ASNIC on a 'first-come, first-served' basis.
Recommendations: Applicants should only apply for domain names which bear a strong resemblance to it's company/organization name or trademarks and brand names.
Dispute resolution: When a domain name has been registered by another entity or is in progress of registering, it is the responsibility of the entity seeking the registration to research the existing repository and pursue any litigation which may be necessary against the existing registrant, should said entity believe that the existing registrant has no right to said domain. Entities and registrants acknowledge and agree that ASNIC cannot act as arbiter of disputes arising out of the registration of and use of domain names. Registration of a pending application for a domain name will be suspended by ASNIC in case of a conflict or a court decision resolving the dispute in favor of one of the conflicting parties.
Notifications: Notifications are sent by ASNIC when applications have been accepted, rejected or modified or sent as warning messages to all contacts as listed on the application form.
Return of pre-paid fees: When an entity looses it's right to use a domain name, e.g. because said entity has had no legitimate right to register a domain name, no refund of any pre-paid fees will be made.
Warnings: ASNIC may issue warnings in case of obvious possible name conflicts or when names are likely to conflict with another name, trade name, trademark, service mark, etc.. ASNIC, however, has no obligation to issue such warnings. After a warning has been issued, the corresponding application for a third-level domain name is interrupted until confirmation by the registrant in the form of a new application is received. ASNIC may, however, at it's own discretion interrupt the registration until the entity seeking registration submits within reasonable time to ASNIC a written confirmation of the holder of the conflicting name, trade name, trademark, service mark, etc. that the application is valid and that the holder agrees with the application. In such a case, a new application form needs to be submitted to the registry when the case is resolved for both parties.
Rejections: When the domain name which is applied for is identical to an existing registered name. When the primary and/or secondary DNS name servers are not set up correctly or responding properly. When the administrative contact is not a member or authorized agent of the entity stated as the organization contact (not applicable to natural persons). Domain names that are offensive in nature or misleading to the Internet community.
Transfers: Domain names may be transferred by filling out a modification request and submitting it to ASNIC. Any and all transfer request(s) may be confirmed by ASNIC contacting one of the appointed contacts as listed in the application form. If a confirmation request is issued and no reply is given, ASNIC reserves the right not to make any modification to the corresponding domain name until the request can be validated.
Suspension of registration: When an entity submits grossly erroneous and/or misleading application forms repeatedly and/or in large quantities, the registry may suspend the registration process for such an entity until, in estimation of ASNIC, the registration process can be restored in an orderly manner.
Termination of registration: Second-level domain names may be erased from the repository due to four reasons:
When the registrant requests the deletion of it's entry. The request for deletion must be acknowledged by the admin contact for the domain.
When no or insufficient payment for registration is received. The entry in the repository corresponding to the unpaid fee will be erased without further notice after an elapse of 30 days from the date the renewal invoice was sent.
Upon order by a court or governmental or administrative body.
When a domain name is found to be offensive or in bad taste.
Liability of ASNIC: As far as permitted by law, the registry ASNIC and it's servants or agents, will not be liable for any loss of use, interruption of business, or any indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages of any kind (including lost profits) regardless of the form of action whether in contract, tort (including negligence) or otherwise, even if the registry ASNIC has been advised of the possibility of such damages. As far as permitted by law, the maximum liability of ASNIC for direct losses under this policy shall not exceed one hundred US dollars ($100.00).
WHOIS entry: ASNIC registers domain names in it's repository which answers authoritatively for second-level domain names under .AS.
Privacy: ASNIC reserves the right to make entries in the WHOIS database publicly available in any electronic or written form.