Network Solutions' Complicated Name Game

SAN FRANCISCO -- What's a fair price for registering an address on the Internet?

It may seem like a simple question, but for Network Solutions (NSOL Quote) the answer holds a whole lot of import -- and a whole lot of impact on its bottom line. Network Solutions thinks $16 is a fair price for registering a domain name, but some analysts and the company's competition bristle at the suggestion.

"NSI wants to charge $16 a year per domain name and all they're doing is running a database," says Richard Forman, founder and president of Register.com, one of the largest registrars in cyberspace. With more than 4 million domains registered, "that's $80 million a year to run a database." Forman says a fair price would be between $1.50 and $2. ...