Guest comment: Does the industry need two letter domain names?

Nominet’s rules currently prevent the registration of certain domain names, including the majority of one and two character strings. Originally there were technical reasons preventing these registrations, but these have since been overcome. As a result, Nominet’s Policy Advisory Body advised us to release these domain names for registration.

We want to make sure that this is done fairly, and so we have been consulting with the public on how we should release these domains. We have written to registered trademark holders who have trademarks corresponding to the character and letter combinations being released, and we have been running a public consultation via our web site since March.

Our consultation paper sets out the way we believe the domain names should be released but we want to hear what .uk stakeholders think about these proposals, including if they have any suggestions for better ways we can handle this process.

The consultation period ends on 8 June, and we have so far received over 120 responses. Over 90% of respondents are positive about our proposal to release the one character and two letter domain names in the co.uk, org.uk, net.uk and me.uk Second Level Domains, which is encouraging. As you might expect from such a wide stakeholder group, there are a variety of differing views being expressed about the finer details of how the domains should be released.

Nominet’s proposal is for a two phase ‘sunrise’ mechanism, meaning that initially, any registered trademark holders would have the first opportunity to apply for domain names identical to their trademarks. Any domain names that are not taken up in the first round would then be open to holders of unregistered rights. Any domain names still unregistered after the sunrise period would be available on a first-come, first-served basis in a ‘landrush’ phase.

The process is significant for businesses, and brand managers in particular, because the roll out of one character and two letter domain names is of vital importance to companies that are known by a single character or a two letter combination.

Once the consultation period has closed we will take some time to analyse all the responses we have received and then use them to formulate a draft release plan. We will publish that on our web site for final comments before we formally open the application process.

We will keep stakeholders informed about the process via our web site, our RSS news feeds and the @UKShortDomains Twitter feed.

Any businesses wishing to respond to our consultation before 8 June can do so now by completing the online form on our web site. or via email at shortdomains@nominet.org.uk.

As we are not sure exactly what the application process will look like until the end of the consultation period we cannot give firm advice about how to apply. However, businesses wishing to apply for one of these short domains should start speaking to their brand protection, web site and technical advisors in anticipation of the sunrise process beginning within the next few months.

By Phil Kingsland

Director of Marketing and Communications

Nominet

www.nominet.org.uk

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