Fees for `.org' domain names to increase 10 pct

Public Interest Registry, which operates the ".org" domain name, disclosed the planned fee increase in a May 1 letter to the Internet's key oversight agency, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. The fee increase does not require the organization's approval.

The per-name fee is what PIR collect annually from registrars, the companies that sell domain names on their behalf. Such charges are generally incorporated in the prices companies, groups and individuals pay to register names, and they apply to new registrations, transfers and renewals.

The increase brings the annual fee to $6.75. Last year, PIR imposed a 2.5 percent fee increase to $6.15.

PIR did not cite a reason in its letter.

With nearly 7 million names registered, ".org" is the world's sixth most popular domain name suffix. Although the suffix was originally intended for organizations like nonprofits, the designator is now open to anyone who wants to use it.

Earlier this year, VeriSign Inc., the company that keeps the master list of domain names ending in ".com" and ".net," also announced price increases. Effective Oct. 1, the annual fee for ".com" names will go up 7 percent to $6.86 and the ".net" fee will increase 10 percent to $4.23. Both suffixes also are available to any company, group or individual.