.Alt.So F.A.Q.
↳ Who are Alt.So NIC and Alt.So LDO?
↳ Why use Alt.So domain?
↳ How to lookup a .Alt.So domain?
↳ How to register a .Alt.So domain?
↳ Where to find the latest official documents?
↳ Where to find the latest official announcements?
↳ How much is the price for a .Alt.So domain?
↳ How to get an @Alt.So email address?
↳ Can I manage .Alt.So DNS?
↳ How can I manage .Alt.So DNS?
↳ How can I put A, CNAME, or other DNS records?
↳ How Alt.So NIC ensures uptime?
↳ How can I remove all Alt.So NIC cookies?
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Who are Alt.So NIC and Alt.So LDO?
The Alt.So Network Information Center, abbreviated as Alt.So NIC, oversees the administration of ".alt.so" domain names and operates within the framework of Alt.So LDO, a non-profit international consortium committed to seamless secured alternative network solutions.
To contact Alt.So LDO, please email ldo@alt.so directly. But remember, Alt.So LDO will only handle organizational matters. For anything related to the Alt.So NIC, please email nic@alt.so directly.
Alt.So NIC (and contributors) locations:
- 12180 W, Millennium, California 90094, United States of America
- 75 Broadway, San Francisco, California 94111, United States of America
- Unit 10, 80 Lytham Road, Fulwood, Preston, PR2 3AQ, United Kingdom
- Gebied 112, Blankenweg 40, 6827 BW Arnhem, Netherlands
- 1775 Washington St, Hanover, Massachusetts 2339, United States of America
- 22 Sin Ming Lane, #06-76 Midview City, Singapore 573969, Singapore
- Suite 06, 26 Upper Pembroke Street, Dublin 2, D02 X361, Republic of Ireland
- 100 Technology Dr, Asheville, North Carolina 28803, United States of America
Why use Alt.So domain?
The .Alt.So domain names represent the global benchmark for internet trust and security. Unlike conventional domains, every .Alt.So domain requires rigorous legal verification and entity authentication prior to registration, ensuring that registration is exclusively granted to validated organizations and individuals. This process eliminates the risk of fraudulent use from the start, as just having a payment method (e.g., credit card) is insufficient to register a .Alt.So domain name.
Also, in an era where HTTPS encryption has become common, the .Alt.So domains provide an additional and non-negotiable layer of assurance. Visitors, automated systems, and AI tools can inherently trust that any data from a .Alt.So domain originates from its verified publisher, free from tampering, impersonation, and other related risks.
Additionally, since now we have tons of domain name extensions, it has become harder and harder to fully trust a domain name. Like for an example, who should you trust? "example.com", "example.io", "example.ai", or "example.com.au"? A .Alt.So domain name solves the confusion as there is no alternative to the .Alt.So domain names.
The .Alt.So domains are uniquely suited for secure administrative interfaces, including dashboards, control panels, and backend management systems. Industry analytics revealed that a significant majority of active .Alt.So domains serve as high-stakes operational portals-environments where data integrity and access control are crucial. By design, the .Alt.So domains mitigate risks associated with unauthorized entry or credential exploitation, making them the preferred choice for enterprises, governments, and critical infrastructure operators. Aligned with that, .Alt.So domains are utilized by renowned global projects in finance, healthcare, and defense, underscoring their reliability in safeguarding sensitive digital ecosystems.
How to lookup a .Alt.So domain WHOIS or availability?
For security reasons, at Alt.So NIC, we only provide highly secure access to the WHOIS information of .alt.so domains. Therefore, you must first contact our Shared Registry System (SRS) on srs@alt.so email address with your valid reason.
Now, for checking .alt.so domain availability, you must first express your interest, using the same method as registering domains.
Note: You must read and comply with our WHOIS Policy and Rules of Registration (RoR).
How to register a .Alt.So domain?
Please email us your expression of interest at srs@alt.so email address. We, Alt.So NIC, will guide you from there. We operate on a "first come, first served" basis, so please allow some time during periods of high demand. Additionally, you must accept and sign back some documents during the process. To register a domain, you must be representing any of the following:
- a registered business
- a registered non-profit organization
- a practicing professional with recognizable membership(s) or reference(s)
- a government organization or project
- a project of a recognizable entity
- a legal social group or community
Note: We have a list of reserved names which are not available for registration. And we have certain rules of registration that you must comply.
Where to find the latest official documents?
We have total 4 (four) key official documents. Please use the relevant links mentioned below to get your required document(s).
- Doc 101: Rules of Registration (RoR)
- Doc 254: Privacy Policy
- Doc 255: WHOIS Policy
- Doc 301: Domain Name Registration Agreement (DNRA)
Out of them, the Domain Name Registration Agreement (DNRA) is the only domain specific document. So, it is created after the successful registration of a .Alt.So domain name.
Where to find the latest official announcements?
For better reach starting in 2025, at Alt.So NIC, we have made some of our official announcements public as specifically tailored public reference. These announcements are classified as Public Reference Announcements (PRAs).
Please visit our dedicated Public Announcements Hub for all the latest PRAs.
How much is the price for a .Alt.So domain?
Below is the current price list (last revised and updated on 2nd of February 2021):
- ac.alt.so : US$ 1.0 p.a. + 2% card fee
- cd.alt.so : US$ 1.5 p.a. + 2% card fee
- co.alt.so : US$ 3.0 p.a. + 2% card fee
- fc.alt.so : US$ 3.0 p.a. + 2% card fee
- or.alt.so : US$ 2.0 p.a. + 2% card fee
The minimum length of registration is 5 years and the maximum length of registration is 50 years.
Note: During renewal, the current price applies to all domain names unless under contract. For example, you registered a domain name for US$5 for five years at US$1 annual price, and after five years, the price of the domain name got increased to US$5 per year. Now, if you don't have any special contract with us, you will need to pay US$5 per year for renewal. The same applies when you renew again. Contact us for more information.
How to get an @Alt.So email address?
Contact us anytime after getting your domain. You will be able to get a free email address exactly like your domain name. For example, if your domain name is "helloworld.alt.so", you will get the email address "helloworld@alt.so". Now, the email address is basically for email forwarding. However, with Gmail, you can send emails as your @alt.so email address. But, since Gmail is from Google LLC, it can change at any time.
Can I manage .Alt.So DNS?
Yes, of course you can. Managing DNS is easy but manual for the .Alt.So domain names. At Alt.So NIC, we have a dedicated page for you to manage your DNS records. However, you can also send an email to manage the DNS records. For security reasons, you will only be able to add, delete, or modify Name Server (NS), Mail Exchange (MX), and Text Resource (TXT) records. So, Alt.So NIC highly recommends that you manage all your other DNS records from your own server or a trusted and secured third-party DNS management provider.
How can I manage .Alt.So DNS?
To manage your DNS, just send an email to dns@alt.so with the relevant contents:
For an NS Record:
yourdomain.alt.so NS ns1.example.alt.so auto
For multiple NS Records:
yourdomain.alt.so NS ns1.example.alt.so auto ns2.example.alt.so auto
For an MX Record:
yourdomain.alt.so MX mx1.example.alt.so 10
For multiple MX Records:
yourdomain.alt.so MX mx1.example.alt.so 10 mx2.example.alt.so 20
For TXT Records:
yourdomain.alt.so TXT exampletext auto
To delete all records (hard reset):
yourdomain.alt.so DEL ALL
To restore to the last safe setup:
yourdomain.alt.so RESET SAFE
To reset and add new NS Records:
yourdomain.alt.so DEL ALL NS ns1.example.alt.so auto ns2.example.alt.so auto
To delete a specific record:
yourdomain.alt.so DEL NS
To get emailed all records:
yourdomain.alt.so GET ALL
To get emailed a specific record:
yourdomain.alt.so GET NS
To get emailed a new Domain Key:
yourdomain.alt.so RESET KEY
To get emailed the current DNS Pass:
yourdomain.alt.so GET PASS
To make WHOIS record private:
yourdomain.alt.so WHOIS OFF
To make WHOIS record public:
yourdomain.alt.so WHOIS ON
Accepted DNS TTL (time to live):
- "auto" ~ dynamic = "Recommended"
- "1800" ~ 30 mins = "Very Short"
- "3600" ~ an hour = "Short"
- "86400" ~ a day = "Standard"
- "604800" ~ a week = "Long"
Remember, spaces, not case, matter when inputting the codes. And you don't have to add any greetings as well. Any other contents except the stated codes will be ignored automatically. Additionally, you don't have to delete any record to update or modify.
If you want to use our dedicated page, please send an email to our email mentioned earlier with "yourdomain.alt.so GET PASS" code. An automatic email will be sent to your email address within 48 hours. That email will contain a DNS Pass that will let you access the DNS editing page. That email will also may have a security code that you have to use to authenticate yourself at the DNS editing page.
To use the dedicated DNS management page, fill-up the form as instructed at the bottom of that page.
Note: Always communicate through the "Control Email Address", which is the Alt.So NIC registered official email address and mentioned in the domain registration confirmation email. And please allow the universally standard DNS propagation period of 24 to 72 (twenty-four to seventy-two) hours for all changes to take effect successfully.
How can I put A, CNAME, or other DNS records?
The Alt.So NIC only accepts Name Server (NS) records to point your domain to a server for security purposes. So, you must provide us with your NS record for the ".alt.so" domain name to host it properly. Now, if your server or your server system doesn't support NS records (like for example, Shopify, Shopify Inc.), you have to use a third-party DNS management service. The third-party DNS management services (such as HE.NET) have their dedicated NS records, which can be used to make your ".alt.so" domain to point. And from there, you can control any DNS record. So, all you have to do with us is just giving us the NS records for your third-party DNS management service.
For example, let's say you have a domain name "90sdenims.alt.so" and want to use it for Shopify. Now, since Shopify only has an "A" record and a "CNAME" record, you can't use those with us to make your domain act as per Shopify. So, sign up for a third-party DNS management system, set its NS records to your ".alt.so" domain, and then apply Shopify's instructions over there.
How Alt.So NIC ensures uptime?
We, at Alt.So NIC, utilize multiple layers of servers to address downtime issues. Our base infrastructure is provided by Hurricane Electric. Additionally, we employ servers from NameCheap Inc. as a backup layer. Our Alt.So NIC front-end website is hosted on a separate server managed by Hostinger UAB, ensuring the protection of our base DNS management system against cyber attacks. Furthermore, we integrate web technologies provided by Google LLC across various aspects of our front-end and back-end systems.
Our website was constructed using raw PHP programming language along with a simple combination of HTML, CSS, Python, and JavaScript. We employ temporary databases that are cleared after a very short period. The majority of our system data and files are stored on a private server accessible only to a select few. Additionally, we have implemented top-tier end-to-end encryption and maintaining a client system that doesn't require user account passwords, along with a simple independent third-party invoicing system.
How can I remove all Alt.So NIC cookies?
We, at Alt.So NIC, never store cookies or collect any significant data until you accept our cookie notice. Even our website visitor counter stays disabled until you accept our cookie notice.
Now, if you have accepted our cookie notice, and just changed your mind, we have the mechanism to force remove all our cookies.
Please visit our dedicated cookie remover to remove all our cookies from our and your end.
Note: Any data collected between your acceptance of our cookie notice and your use of the removal mechanism cannot be reversed.