Tuvalu attempts to renegotiate .tv lease terms
Monday 5th July 2010
A leading government official in Tuvalu claims the nation should be paid more for leasing the use of the .tv top-level domain.
Back in the 1990s, when the internet was in its infancy, the Pacific island outsourced the rights to its country code to a US firm for two million dollars a year, reports Radio New Zealand International.
However, now that the web has become increasingly commercialised, finance minister Lotoala Metia says the deal should be enhanced.
"We are negotiating but we are tied because of the agreement that was signed before us," he told the news provider.
"We cannot negotiate for an increase until 2016. Counter offers have been made but they are not acceptable to the government of the day"
Mr Metia said the government would have to "stick to its guns" for the time being despite receiving "peanuts" for the use of .tv.
From this year, commercial organisations are able to register generic top-level domains with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers.
Written by Debra Hastings-Henry