Domain Transfers - A Guide for .co.uk & .org.uk & .com

[Balboas-Bain]

After investigation, I have been able to find out the correct process for transfering in domain names into in regards to .co.uk / .org.uk and .com domains and they are:

The process for transferring is slightly different between the .uk and .com but it is important to know that when you transfer a domain name into BT then it is ONLY THE DOMAIN that is transferred into BT, any associated Websites or E-Mails are NOT transferred into BT. So before you do any modifications (mentioned later) to the domain you need to make sure that the following three are addressed: 

1. That you have a current backup copy of your website (if you have one).
2. If you would like BT to host your current site after the transfer into us you would need to have BT Webhosting Package on your account. This will allow you to upload to BT Servers once the transfer is completed.
3. That you have a note of all current E-Mail address you use, as you will need to recreate them after transfer.

Once you have done those three, then you are ready to begin the Domain Transfer.

For .co.uk / .org.uk domain names, you need to do the following three things:

1. Get the current *domain registrar to change the IPS Tags of the domain name to, " BTNAMES " (without Quotations).
2. Go to www2.btbroadbandoffice.com then Login with your Primary @btconnect E-Mail Address and Password
3. Click on the, " Transfer a domain name to BT " link at the bottom and insert the domain in the domain box, click next and follow the on screen instructions

For .com domain names, you need to do the following four things: 

1. Get the current *domain registrar to Unlock the domain name.
2. Get the current *domain registrat to provide you with the Domain Authorisation Code (Auth Code for short)
3. Go to www2.btbroadbandoffice.com then login with your Primary @btconnect.com E-Mail Address and Password
4. Click on the, " Transfer a domain name to BT " link at the bottom and insert the domain in the domain box, the Auth Code in the box beside, click next and follow the on screen instructions.

* = If you do not currently know who your domain registrars are, you can do a, " Who Is " check on the domain which will provide you with those details. One domain checker I use is, " http://www.whois.sc " but you can find many more via google.

It is worth also knowing that with the Basic Webhosting Package from BT (the £5 per month one) you are entitled to ONE FREE .co.uk OR .org.uk domain name. With the Advanced Web Hosting Package you can get TWO FREE DOMAINS, one free .com domain and either a free .co.uk OR .org.uk It is also true that with the two eShop packages you also get two free domains.

[dave]

Excellent guide there Balboa. To expand on point 2 that you made, it is acually now possible to upload your site to BT's servers before the domain is actually transferred in. This will keep any downtime of your site to a minimum.

I think this "Transfer In" hosting package can only be ordered through sales at the moment.

[Balboas-Bain]

Thanks for adding this point there Dave to my guide. When the domain is added at the point-of-order, will the end user need to speak to their current domain registrars to get any *zone files reset / changed prior to transfer to allow this to happen? If so, what are the settings they need to change?

* = Zone Files are basically a collection of Tags associated with ANY domain name in the world. One of these Zone Files, or tags, has a value for FTP, the other for E-Mail, the other for WWW etc... When you type in, for example, www.microsoft.com into a web browser, it will look for the Zone File entry for WWW - which points to exactly on the internet where the website sits. If they where to FTP to Microsoft, when the FTP address is entered, it will look for the Zone File entry for FTP and find out exactly where it sits.

One point that I forgot to mention in regards to Transfers of Domains into BT is that the .co.uk & .org.uk domain names can take up to and including 5 Days to transfer. There WILL BE DOWN TIME of your website and E-Mails, as I said originally, it is ONLY THE DOMAIN that you are transferring. Though this so called, "Smart Hosting" thing mentioned by Dave could potentially reduce that down time, if you upload your site to BT's Webhosting.

For .com domain names, it can take up to 7 Days for transfer in.

[dave]

TO answer your question, you shouldn't normally have to repoint your domain for a transfer in as most people will already have hosting elsewhere and can continue to use this until the transfer is complete.

However, if you really can't wait to start using your new BT service (and you have the Transfer In hosting) then you will be able to point your A record to 209.235.144.9 and begin using the BT hosting straightaway.

[Ian1974 · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the guide, however it is worth mentioning that for Gtld domains ( .com/.net/.org etc ) that after submitting the transfer in request via your account an approval email will be sent to the admin contact for your domain ( shown on whois ), this needs to be approved to enable the transfer to go ahead.

If you do not have access to the admin e-mail address, contact your current host in order to change this to oone you do have access to.

As a general guide, once the domain transfer has been approved it can take up to 7 days to transfer fully, however you should allow up to 30 days.

Downtime for these transfers will really depend on how quickly you set up your email / upload your site after the nameservers have changed to BT and transfer has been completed.

However some hosts may wipe all your records as soon as you initiate a transfer out on their side.

Ian - F -