In the final chapter of the Absafreemail.co.za domain name debacle, Nizaam Karjieker claims, contrary to previous reports, that he registered the domain with the intent of handing it over to Absa.
[VIDEO]In a press conference held yesterday at Absa`s offices, Karjieker said that "no money had exchanged hands", and there was no reimbursement in any other form either. Karjieker says that he registered the domain to "protect Absa`s brand".
[VIDEO]The saga started on Monday, 22 January, when Karjieker registered the domain Absafreemail.co.za after the Sunday Times reported that Absa intended to use the domain as part of its free Internet offering. Absa now claims that its original intention was to use freemail.absa.co.za.
[VIDEO]Karjieker claims he read about Absa`s intention to use Absafreemail.co.za after reading about it on ITWeb - even though ITWeb had not published an article regarding the free Internet offering from Absa by the time the domain had been registered.
[VIDEO]Karjieker says he acted in his personal capacity in registering the domain, and says Intekom - where he is employed as an account manager - had "nothing to do with it".
Tasso Tsoukalas, GM of channel marketing, Absa Group, says that, although the company intends - and has always intended - to use freemail.absa.co.za, the Absafreemail domain is an augmentation to the Absa brand.
[VIDEO]When asked if the bank is considering registering other Absa domains, such as absamail.co.za (currently registered to a Stellenbosch-based company, Entelligence), Tsoukalas says that if it has a commercial value, Absa would consider it.
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