A revolutionary change is about to occur in relation to domain names. What does it mean for Joe Surfer or the average registrant?
A revolutionary change is about to occur in relation to domain names - but what does it mean for Joe Surfer or the average registrant?
Country specific extensions such as .au are known as ccTLDs (Country Code Top Level Domains); and number in the hundreds. There are comparatively very few generic top level domains (gTLDs) available - only 22 - these include .com, .net, .org, .info and .biz.
There are nearly two dozen gTLDs now, but soon there may be thousands.
While existing gTLD's have served us well for around a quarter of a century, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is pursuing an initiative whereby thousands of new extensions may be created; for example, .companyname, .computer, .music or .bank.
The idea behind the initiative is to allow corporations better brand control and create new opportunities in the online world.
So, will the average person be able to create a new gTLD? No - one reason is that the privilege will come with a hefty price tag. It will cost around USD$185,000 to establish a gTLD and according to a draft of the gTLD applicant guidebook, the only parties eligible to apply will be "established corporations, organizations, or institutions in good standing". Applicants will also need to provide evidence of a legitimate claim to the gTLD they desire.
In addition to the application and establishment fee, annual fees will be in the thousands.
To discourage registration of gTLD's for the sake of sitting on the extension for the primary purpose of resale, owners will need to have operational web sites under the extension they want and ICANN will have a role in approving transfers to new owners should the gTLD be sold in the future.
Another potentially tricky situation is where Company X decides to apply for a .companyx gTLD - but it's not the only company going by that name.
Where two companies may have the same name, an objection-based process will enable rights holders to "demonstrate that a proposed gTLD would infringe their legal rights". There will also be a process for objecting to generic word-based gTLD's on the basis that such a gTLD may not be in the community's interest.
There is currently a maximum limit of 1000 new gTLDs that will be delegated each year and the initial application period is expected to last a couple of months.
While the release of new gTLD's may create new industries and will certainly provide more options for name choices; current extensions won't suddenly stop working, nor will they drop out of sight. Currently available popular extensions are now so well established, they'll retain a high level of awareness among consumers for the foreseeable future - and perhaps always.
An Overview Of Domain Name Slamming
The term "domain slamming" is derived from telephone slamming, where a subscriber's telephone service is changed without their consent - a practice particularly prevalent in the USA and Britain. Domain slamming has been rife for years, but people still unfortunately fall victim to the ploy.
A Domain Name Search Can Save You Hundreds
Received an unsolicited email offering to sell you a domain name that grabs your interest? Read on as this tip might just save you hundreds of dollars.
A Primer On Typosquatting
Typosquatting is a form of cybersquatting that can erode a company's brand and contribute to a reduction in sales. It can also add to the cost of sales through the need for defensive action or litigation.
