I had a similar experience with Network Solutions years ago when I tried to register eTide.com. It came up available on N.S. and, as I tried to register it right then and there, everything came to a screeching halt for several minutes. When I could finally get a response, it was 'taken'.

Another thing about Network Solutions is that they'll try to make it impossible for you to transfer a domain you own away from them by making you jump through endless hoops and loops until you give up in frustration.

Here's the work around for their 'no transfer away baloney'...just go to the registrar (in my case 000 domains) and have your new registrar do the transfer. Save yourself the aggravation. You see, doing it that way they have just a few days to comply or be in violation of their agreements to be able to function as a registrar. After 3 weeks of stalling and frustration, I had my domain name transferred in 3 days when I turned it over to my new registrar to handle the transfer.

Sandi Bowman