Vodacom World Online, a Tiscali S.p.A company, has announced that two of the recently authorised top-level domain names for the Internet, .biz and .info are now active. These are the first of a new series of new global top-level domains (TLDs) since .com and others were launched in the 1980s.
General registration of names ending with these TLDs will soon be available through over 90 registrars accredited by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). ICANN controls the creation and assignment of all domain names.
The new domains will be used primarily for businesses (.biz) that missed out on .com or that want to protect their brand name, and for people wanting a general online presence (.info). The companies selected to operate these new top-level domains (TLDs) are NeuLevel Inc (www.neulevel.biz) and Afilias Limited (www.afilias.info.
World Online MD Graeme Victor says the new namespaces have been implemented to combat the overcrowding of the three most popular TLDs, .com, .net and .org and to protect trademark and brand interests against the recent Internet phenomenon, cyber squatting.
Cyber squatting takes place when citizens of cyberspace see potential profit-making opportunities through registering a domain name and selling it to any company that would want to use it.
"With new legislation passed, claiming rights to a domain does not guarantee a company eventual domain ownership. If a conflict arises between two organisations, a neutral third-party arbitrator will be contracted to settle the dispute. Owners of trademarks and copyrights will get preferential treatment," he explains.
The two new global TLDs are the first of seven approved by ICANN last November. Agreements still remain to be signed for the remaining five top-level domains: .name, .pro, .aero, .coop, and .museum.
Victor says these first steps took several months because of the need to introduce new global TLDs in a measured and responsible manner with as little risk as possible. ICANN is responsible for ensuring long-term Internet domain name stability and minimising risk. ICANN`s seal of authenticity on these new TLDs guarantees they will work properly, whatever the location of the user.
World Online has also announced a new e-mail domain offering, `wol` as in abc@wol.co.za, to new World Online subscribers in addition to the existing abc@worldonline.co.za.
To register a domain name for yourself and your business, or for further information, contact World Online on 0800 00 6767 or visit www.worldonline.co.za
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