New Zealand hosting company Web Drive has become the first New Zealand-based company to gain accreditation with international domain name managers the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).

Web Drive offers wholesale domain registration services to New Zealand-based resellers through its Domain Agent service, and to end-user customers in New Zealand and Australia through its Domains4Less brand.

Robin Dickie, Web Drive’s operations manager, says earning the accreditation was a lengthy and expensive process, but the benefits to resellers and customers will be worth it.

"Many of our wholesale customers stand to save literally thousands of dollars a year in domain registration charges,” Dickie says.

"Because we’re now able to get better pricing ourselves we’re able to pass this on to our wholesale customers. They can choose to pass the savings on to their customers or keep the extra margin.”

The savings come from cutting out a link in the chain, Dickie says.

"Now, for the first time, local domain registrars can deal with a fully accredited company right here in New Zealand.

"That means access to local support, internationally competitive pricing and knowing exactly who they’re dealing with."If there is a problem, the buck stops with us and we’re right there to fix it.”

Dickie adds that Web Drive customers will also gain access to a number of new domains, including .ASIA, .TEL, .MOBI, .TRAVEL and the controversial .XXX.

Web Drive counts Auckland Council, BNZ and Air New Zealand among its customers. Go here for more.