(WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) — UK-based registry operator for the new .tel top level domain, Telnic Limited (www.telnic.org), has opened the .tel domains to a wider group of consumers, letting them buy any available .tel domain without auctions or waiting lists.
According to Telnic’s announcement, the company’s “Landrush” period began Monday at 10am EST, issuing in an eagerly awaited period when anyone can purchase any available domain on a minimum three-year term. The .tel domain was launched December 3, 2008, however, the launch was limited only to trademark owners were allowed to register their names for a $399.00 non-refundable application fee in addition to monthly charges.
The new domain has the interesting premise that it would be primarily a domain to host contact information within the domain name system, which translate names into IP addresses.
“If you look back, when .com was introduced it was innovative in linking domain names to IP addresses stored in the DNS, pointing to web content, it was a true ‘first,’” Telnic chief executive officer Khashayar Mahdavi said in a statement. “Many recent launches of top level domains have tried to emulate this success. .tel domains, which again innovate the use of domain names by linking directly to contact information stored in the DNS, is another ‘first’ and will again provide value to those investing in them.”
While its limited scope makes it irrelevant for many complex applications, it has certain benefits for certain businesses. It supports the use of premium rate telephone numbers, SMS premium rate short codes for content downloads and links to e-commerce sites ranging from third-party hosted auction pages and e-commerce shops.
“The Internet just got richer and a whole lot easier for people to be able to make money through the use of domain names and existing premium rate solutions,” Mahdavi said. “People will be able to run everything from chat lines to competitions on a .tel domain and there are no expensive development costs. What’s more, all of these options are available for use on any device connected to the Internet, so monetizing the mobile Internet has finally become a cost-effective reality.”
More than 130 ICANN-accredited registrars are selling .tel domains, with pricing varying from registrar to registrar. While most domain names cost around $10 per year, the .tel domains are costlier at about $15 to $20 per year, however, it seems more reasonable because .tel domain owners neither have to pay hosting fees nor to build or maintain a website for their domain to be found on the Internet. Also, Telnic plans to lower its premium pricing beginning March 23.
