Web.com Group, Inc. (WWWW) officially announced today that it has acquired SnapNames from KeyDrive S.A.

Shares are down over 2% in early trading today.

The questions yet to be answered is how will the acquisition effect where expiring domain names from Web.com registrars, including NetworkSolutions.com and Register.com will be going.

All expired domains of Netsol where going to SnapNames.com until it was acquired by Oversee.net, the company that sold SnapNames.com to Keysystems. Once Oversee.net acquired SnapNames.com Netsol went into partnership with Demand Media, INc (DMD) to form Namejet.com which has over the last years been the exclusive auction house for expired Network Solutions domains.

We have asked both Web.com and Demand Media, Inc over the weekend how this acquisition will effect dropped domain names but neither has furnished a definitive answer.

SnapNames is a drop service and online auction house including expiring, deleting and privately-owned domain names.

“We are very pleased to bring SnapNames under the Web.com umbrella,” said David L. Brown, chairman, chief executive officer and president of Web.com. “This acquisition enables us to enhance our existing domain related assets and provide additional services for customers who are looking for specific domain name addresses. In today’s expanding domain resale marketplace, SnapNames is a global industry leader with experience and expertise in domain lifecycle management and auction services.”

“”Web.com owns two of the world’s largest retail registrars in Network Solutions and Register.com. With the addition of SnapNames, Web.com will further expand its global partnership channel by leveraging SnapNames’ extensive international network, thus helping customers find the right domain names the first time they look. In addition, the acquisition complements NameJet, the domain name auction platform managed through a joint venture partnership with Web.com and Rightside.””

In a press release issued by the seller of SnapNames, Key-Systems said:

“Moniker now plans to work even more closely together with KeyDrive and its sister company Key-Systems to strengthen its position on the US registrar market and to become an even more powerful international registrar.

“KeyDrive will be reinvigorating the Moniker brand with new technology, products and commitment to their customer service”, said Alexander Siffrin, Chairman of KeyDrive.”

“”The disposition of SnapNames will have no negative effect on the customer experience of the Moniker clients. The same staff will be taking care of all customer needs and customers will access their accounts as before. Moniker will continue to work with SnapNames as in the past and the usual business will not be interrupted for clients.””

“”In February Bonnie Wittenburg assumed the position as Moniker CEO. Under her leadership the synergies and cooperation that existed between Key-Systems and Moniker will be increased. A series of new service offerings is planned by Moniker in the future through this increased cooperation. Wittenburg plans to focus much attention on the development of Moniker’s customer service as Moniker expands the product offerings.””

“”Among the unique strengths that the parent company KeyDrive and its members bring are the commitment to offer a broad range of domain name extensions including pre-registration for over 700 new top level domains, a large ccTLD offering and a variety of domain-related services such as professional registry services and IT infrastructure services accompanied by a strong costumer focus provided by domain experts.””