Nominet to cancel unclaimed domain names

Nominet has announced that domain names ending in '.uk' which were registered before August 1 1996 will be cancelled unless the registrants get in touch with their internet service providers and confirm they still want the names.

Nominet estimates that there are about 26,000 such domain names, many of them not in use. They were registered before Nominet came into existence so the owners do not have a contract with Nominet, nor do they pay registration fees.

Lesley Cowley, Nominet's managing director, has said in a press statement that "[Nominet's] aim is to clean up our records at the same time as giving those who are using their domain names equality with other '.uk' registrants."

Under the new contracts with Nominet, registration fees will be charged in two years' time.

Heather Rowe, Lovells, London