In 2011, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) unleashed a new era of competition designed to expand the possibilities of Internet domain names and create a more accessible, secure and innovative Internet.
In 2012, representatives from any city or region in the world were able to apply to own a unique “generic Top Level Domain” (gTLD). A TLD is the suffix that is “right of the last dot” in an Internet address, as in the “gov” in www.phila.gov, or “org” in www.ICANN.org or “info” in www.Afilias.info. This means, for example, that authorized New York representatives can apply for “.nyc” or the Rocky Mountain region for “.rockies” or Dakar for “.dakar”, and so on.
The first ICANN application window is closed now, but another application window will open although ICANN has not yet announced the date of the new window. We will keep you updated.
If you’re a city official, a trusted advisor, or even an interested citizen, you have come to the best place on the Web to learn about dot City TLDs and to learn the answers to such questions as:
- How does this change in the Internet’s domain naming system (DNS) affect my city or my region?
- What are the benefits to my city or region?
- What are the costs to acquire and operate a new TLD?
- How do I determine if investing in a new dot City TLD or dot Region TLD makes sense?
As the industry’s most experienced new TLD registry provider, we want to help you make the right decision for your city. After reviewing our information on the dot City opportunity, let’s discuss how our second-to-none expertise in new TLDs can help you apply for, launch and operate your new TLD once the new application window is announced.
Learn more about dot City TLDs and what to expect. Simply contact us to schedule a no-obligation, exploratory conversation.