Neustar
Neustar was a U.S. technology and information-services company specializing in telecommunications infrastructure, identity and risk analytics, domain-name registry operations, DNS, cybersecurity, and digital performance services.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Neustar, Inc. was an American technology and information-services company whose roots lay in the administration of telecommunications numbering systems. It began in 1998 as a business unit of Lockheed Martin and was separated from its parent so that it could act as a neutral administrator for competing communications providers. Its foundational role was the administration of the North American Numbering Plan and related telephone-number databases. Through this work, Neustar supported the assignment and routing of area codes, central-office prefixes, and portable telephone numbers across the United States and Canada. The company expanded beyond numbering administration into a broader portfolio of registry, clearinghouse, data, analytics, and security services. Its telecommunications activities included number portability administration, carrier and messaging services, common short-code registry operations, and information systems used by wireless, cable, internet, and voice-over-IP providers. Neustar also operated or supported internet-domain registries, including the .biz and .us top-level domains, and provided registry services connected with .co, .nyc, and .in. It served as an external registry gateway for some international domain namespaces and supplied backend infrastructure to domain operators. During the 2010s, Neustar pursued growth in digital media, marketing analytics, identity, fraud prevention, DNS, and website performance. Acquisitions such as Followap, TARGUSInfo, Aggregate Knowledge, and .CO Internet broadened the company from a telecommunications administrator into a data-driven technology platform. The company also participated in the UltraViolet digital-entertainment ecosystem, providing a digital rights locker intended to let consumers access purchased films and television content across participating devices and services. UltraViolet was discontinued in 2019. Neustar's public-company period ended after a proposed 2016 separation into two listed businesses was abandoned. Golden Gate Capital and GIC agreed to acquire the company for approximately $2.9 billion, and the transaction was completed in 2017. Its leadership subsequently changed, with Charles Gottdiener becoming president and chief executive officer in 2018. Around the same period, Neustar acquired selected Verisign security-services customer contracts and TRUSTID, extending its presence in DNS protection, distributed-denial-of-service mitigation, caller authentication, and contact-center fraud prevention. The company later lost or transferred several legacy businesses. Its North American number-portability administration contract ended after 2018, when Somos assumed the role. Iconectiv took over the U.S. Common Short Code Registry in 2016. GoDaddy acquired Neustar's domain-name registry business in 2020. In late 2021, TransUnion acquired Neustar's principal operating business for approximately $3.1 billion, while Neustar Security Services was excluded and transferred to an investment-backed company. That security business was rebranded as Vercara in 2023 and acquired by DigiCert in 2024. As a result, Neustar no longer operates as an independent unified company, although technologies and business lines developed under the name continue through successor owners.
History
Neustar originated inside Lockheed Martin as a telecommunications infrastructure business. It was established in Delaware in 1998 and spun off as an independent company so that it could maintain the neutrality required to administer shared numbering resources for competing telecommunications companies. Its principal early responsibility was the North American Numbering Plan, including databases that connect area codes and telephone prefixes with the providers responsible for routing calls. The company received its first North American numbering administration contract in 1997 while still associated with Lockheed Martin. The contract continued through Neustar's separation and was renewed in 1999, 2004, and 2012. Neustar also administered the Number Portability Administration Center, a system that allowed subscribers to retain their telephone numbers when changing providers. The system covered hundreds of millions of U.S. and Canadian numbers and served thousands of carriers. This activity made Neustar an important back-office provider for the communications industry, even though it generally operated outside the consumer-facing brand layer. Neustar broadened its scope through acquisitions and new service lines. In 2006 it acquired Followap, a United Kingdom-based provider of mobile instant-messaging technology. Lisa Hook became president and chief operating officer in 2010, and the company was selected to manage infrastructure for UltraViolet, a digital-media initiative supported by Hollywood studios and technology companies. Neustar subsequently purchased TARGUSInfo in 2011, Aggregate Knowledge in 2013, and .CO Internet in 2014. These transactions expanded its capabilities in identity data, marketing analytics, audience intelligence, and domain registry operations. The company also developed services for internet traffic management and online resilience. Its portfolio included managed, authoritative, and recursive DNS; cloud-based DDoS protection; website performance tools; and registry services for several top-level domains. Neustar operated the .biz and .us registries and provided services associated with .co, .nyc, and .in, among others. It also participated in messaging infrastructure, common short-code administration, and digital rights management. A series of changes reduced the importance of Neustar's original regulated and registry businesses. In 2016, Telcordia was selected instead of Neustar to administer the U.S. and Canadian number-portability system, and Iconectiv took over the U.S. Common Short Code Registry in 2016. Neustar's plan to divide itself into two public companies was also abandoned. Golden Gate Capital and GIC acquired the public company in a transaction completed in 2017. Charles Gottdiener became chief executive in 2018. Neustar continued to add security capabilities, acquiring selected Verisign security-services customer contracts in 2018 and TRUSTID, a caller-authentication and contact-center fraud-prevention provider, shortly afterward. UltraViolet closed in 2019. GoDaddy acquired Neustar's domain registry division in 2020. In late 2021, TransUnion bought the principal Neustar business, while Neustar Security Services was separated and later renamed Vercara. DigiCert acquired Vercara in 2024. Neustar therefore survives primarily as a collection of successor businesses and technologies rather than as an independent operating company.
- 2024
Vercara acquired by DigiCert
[1]DigiCert acquired Vercara, the successor to Neustar's separated security business.
- 2023
Security business renamed Vercara
[1]The separated Neustar Security Services business adopted the Vercara brand.
- 2021
Main business acquired by TransUnion
[1]TransUnion acquired Neustar's principal business, excluding the security-services division.
- 2020
Domain registry business sold to GoDaddy
[1]GoDaddy acquired Neustar's registry business and renamed it GoDaddy Registry.
- 2019
UltraViolet discontinued
[1]The UltraViolet digital-content platform ceased operations.
- 2018
Security-services expansion
[1]Neustar acquired selected Verisign security-services customer contracts and purchased TRUSTID.
- 2017
Privatization completed
[1]Golden Gate Capital and GIC completed their acquisition of Neustar, ending its period as a public company.
- 2016
Number portability contract awarded to Telcordia
[1]Telcordia, an Ericsson subsidiary, was selected to replace Neustar as administrator of the North American number-portability system.
- 2014
.CO Internet acquired
[1]Neustar acquired .CO Internet and expanded its domain-registry portfolio.
- 2013
Aggregate Knowledge acquired
[1]Neustar added audience and marketing analytics capabilities through the acquisition of Aggregate Knowledge.
Products and positioning
Neustar positioned itself as a trusted, neutral infrastructure and intelligence provider operating behind communications, internet, media, marketing, and security services. Its differentiation came from managing large-scale authoritative databases and real-time information systems used by carriers, registries, enterprises, government-related programs, and digital-content ecosystems.
Telecommunications infrastructure · 1997
North American Numbering Plan administration
Neustar administered databases underlying North American telephone numbering, including area codes and central-office prefixes. The function supported routing among competing carriers and other communications providers. It formed the original core of the business and required a neutral operating position because the system served multiple industry participants.
Telecommunications infrastructure · 1997
Number Portability Administration Center
The NPAC supported local-number portability, allowing customers to retain telephone numbers when changing service providers. Neustar managed the system for U.S. and Canadian carriers for many years, maintaining routing information for hundreds of millions of numbers before the contract moved to a different administrator.
Internet registry infrastructure
Domain registry services
Neustar operated or supported authoritative registries for several top-level domains, including .biz and .us, and provided backend or registry-related services for namespaces such as .co, .nyc, and .in. The division was sold to GoDaddy in 2020 and continued under the GoDaddy Registry identity.
Digital media and rights management · 2010
UltraViolet
UltraViolet was a digital rights locker supported by film studios, technology companies, retailers, and device manufacturers. Neustar provided infrastructure intended to connect consumers' video purchases with access across participating devices and services. The platform was discontinued in 2019.
Cybersecurity and network services
DNS and DDoS security services
Neustar supplied internal and external managed DNS, authoritative and recursive DNS, distributed-denial-of-service protection, DNS firewall services, and related website-performance capabilities. These offerings helped enterprises and service providers direct traffic, maintain availability, and mitigate attacks.
Identity and fraud technology · 2018
Caller authentication and fraud prevention
Following its acquisition of TRUSTID, Neustar offered caller-authentication and contact-center fraud-prevention technology. The capabilities were intended to help enterprises distinguish legitimate callers from fraudulent activity and improve identity verification during customer-service interactions.
Marketing campaigns
- 2010UltraViolet
United States · International digital-entertainment markets
Neustar provided technology and infrastructure for UltraViolet, an industry-backed initiative designed to give consumers cross-device access to purchased films and television content.
Outcome. The service operated for several years but was shut down on July 31, 2019.
Brand decisions
2021
Sale of principal operating business to TransUnionM&ABackground
Neustar had developed a broad portfolio spanning telecommunications data, identity, analytics, marketing, and technology services.
Action taken
TransUnion acquired Neustar's main business, while Neustar Security Services was excluded and sold separately.
Aftermath
The main operations became part of TransUnion, and the separated security business later became Vercara.
Reported transaction value. Approximately $3.1 billion (Late 2021)
2020
Sale of domain registry divisionM&ABackground
Neustar's registry operations covered several significant top-level domains and represented a distinct infrastructure business.
Action taken
Neustar sold the domain-name registry business to GoDaddy.
Aftermath
The acquired division was renamed GoDaddy Registry.
2016
Abandonment of proposed company splitStrategyBackground
Neustar had planned to divide itself into two independent publicly traded companies, reflecting the different profiles of its communications-infrastructure and information-services activities.
Action taken
The separation plan was abandoned after Golden Gate Capital and GIC announced an agreement to acquire all of Neustar's public shares.
Aftermath
The acquisition was completed in 2017, taking Neustar private.
Announced acquisition value. Approximately $2.9 billion; approximately $33.50 per share (2016 announcement)
2016
Transition of number-portability administrationOtherBackground
Neustar had administered the North American number-portability system since the late 1990s, supporting the transfer of telephone numbers between carriers.
Action taken
The contract was awarded to Telcordia, an Ericsson subsidiary, which replaced Neustar in the administrator role.
Aftermath
The new local-number-portability administrator assumed responsibility after Neustar's contract period ended in 2018.
Recent events
- 2024
DigiCert acquires Vercara[1]
M&A
DigiCert acquired Vercara, the successor company to Neustar Security Services.
- 2023
Neustar Security Services rebranded as Vercara[1]
Other
The security business separated from Neustar adopted the Vercara name, marking the end of its operation under the Neustar Security Services identity.
- 2021
TransUnion acquires Neustar's principal business[1]
M&A
TransUnion acquired Neustar's main operating business, while Neustar Security Services was excluded and transferred separately to an investment-backed owner.
- 2020
GoDaddy acquires Neustar's domain registry business[1]
M&A
GoDaddy purchased Neustar's domain-name registry operations and subsequently operated the business as GoDaddy Registry.
- 2018
Charles Gottdiener becomes Neustar chief executive[1]
Leadership change
Charles Gottdiener was appointed president and chief executive officer, succeeding Lisa Hook.
- 2017
Neustar taken private by Golden Gate Capital and GIC[1]
M&A
Golden Gate Capital and GIC completed the acquisition of Neustar after the company abandoned a plan to split into two independent public companies.
- 2016
Neustar loses the U.S. number-portability administration contract[1]
Regulation · Other
An Ericsson subsidiary, Telcordia, was selected for the contract covering the North American Number Portability Administration Center, ending Neustar's long-running role after a competitive process.
- 2010
Neustar selected to support the UltraViolet digital-entertainment system[1]
Product launch
Neustar was selected by a consortium of Hollywood studios and technology companies to manage infrastructure for UltraViolet, a system intended to let consumers access purchased video content across multiple devices.
Sources7 sources
- 1Neustaren.wikipedia.org
- 2[图]GoDaddy收购注册局Neustar 接管.biz、.co等顶级域名tech.sina.com.cn
- 3GoDaddy Acquires Neustar’s Domain Name Registry Businesscircleid.com
- 4GoDaddy Acquires Neustar's Registry Businessprnewswire.com
- 5GTT Launches Global Network Services Ordering Platform to Streamline Order Processing and Ticket Resolution for Third-Party Circuitsitbusinessnet.com
- 6Neustar Appoints Wes Nichols, Co-Founder of MarketShare, to Board of Directorsdigitalmedianet.com
- 7Neustar to be acquired by TransUnionlightreading.com
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