The new .tel domain faced its second test today as it opened its “Landrush” stage, hoping to attract small businesses to its web address book.
Kash Mahdavi, chief executive of Telnic, registry operator for .tel, said in a phone interview there had been more than 10,000 applications during the “Sunrise” phase, which began in December.
Microsoft, Google and Apple were among the technology companies registering, the New York Police Department, the UK’s National Health Service and the American Idol TV show were among other sign-ups.
.tel is being promoted as an easy way to list and link to contact information for businesses and individuals, whether it be Apple.tel or JoeSchmo.tel. Chat lines and competitions can also use the service, which loads quickly and formats well on any internet-connected device.
The Sunrise stage was restricted to applicants who held registered trademarks, Landrush is open to everyone prepared to pay $315 for a three-year registration. Individuals will be more attracted to general availability in March at around $25 a year.
Sunrise registrants may have been motivated by securing their trademark on yet another top-level domain, but Mr Mahdavi said there were real benefits to having a .tel address.
“Some people will buy it for defensive reasons because of their trademark policies, others that are forward looking will understand the use of it,” he said.
“It makes you more discoverable by the search engines and a local company becomes global with a .tel.”
Small businesses not yet online will also escape paying for web hosting or website design if they take the .tel route of having this online listing.
I suspect its adoption by individuals will depend on how virally word about its benefits spreads.
