switchplus – for additional services centred on domain names

The SWITCH Foundation is launching switchplus as a new provider of services centred on domain names.

Who and what is switchplus?

switchplus ltd is a limited company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of SWITCH.

Many of SWITCH’s customers have been expressing the wish to have further services provided by SWITCH in relation to domain names. This is nothing new, but the true extent of the wish only emerged in the results of a customer survey carried out in 2009. The switchplus ltd subsidiary has been set up to provide these additional services. It will act as an equal partner of SWITCH for the registration of domain names.

The target market of switchplus

switchplus is going to offer simple, standardised internet services for private individuals and small businesses. It will begin with the registration of domain names (at the same price as SWITCH). Additional services, such as e-mail or web hosting, will be made available later this year and in the beginning of 2010 respectively.

SWITCH’s role

SWITCH will continue to be the registry for .ch and .li domain names. Existing SWITCH customers will continue to administer their domain names on the website www.nic.ch.

In launching switchplus, SWITCH is also making a key contribution towards securing its own future in the field of internet domains. The contract with the Swiss Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) for the registration of domain names runs until 2015. It is uncertain whether a follow-on contract will come into being at all – and, if so, what form it will take. This situation constitutes a substantial risk for SWITCH – firstly in terms of its revenues and secondly as regards the jobs of its employees working in this area. For that reason, SWITCH must take steps today already to secure the future of its Internet Domains business.
 

• The switchplus website