Correction: NBN Co didn't pay for domain

Contrary to an earlier ZDNet.com.au report, the National Broadband Network Company did not pay to retrieve the nbnco.com.au web address from the consultancy led by Chris Worrad.

On Tuesday, ZDNet.com.au reported that that NBN Co had paid approximately $4000 for the domain name, which had been registered by the NBN Consulting company set up by Worrad in 2008, and that the consultancy was led by telco analyst Paul Budde.

Both allegations were incorrect.

In fact, although the NBN Consulting firm did transfer the domain name to NBN Co, no money has changed hands in the transaction. The highly placed sources who provided the original information on which ZDNet.com.au based its article have since agreed they were mistaken about the fee paid.

Any technical costs involved in the transfer were absorbed by the consulting firm.

In addition, the firm is owned by Chris Worrad. Budde has clarified that he has no financial relationship or contract with the firm, other than that he is available to assist them with consulting work if they request it and he consents, which has not occurred during the firm's operation.

ZDNet.com.au has corrected its initial article on the matter and wishes to apologise to Worrad, NBN Consulting and Paul Budde.

Chris Worrad also refuted the initial story in an email late last night. "No one associated with NBN Consulting, neither Paul Budde nor me, has received any money, for any domain name associated with NBN Co," he said.

"NBN Consulting operated legitimately under the www.nbnco.com.au domain name until the government's NBN corporation was officially named. It was then obvious that it would be more appropriate for the domain to be transferred to NBN Co Ltd ... so it was."

"No money has, or will, change hands in relation to the matter. The transfer was 'free and unconditional'."