.au .AU registration, a huge tailwind coming in July

[Lox]

According to Crosser, July this year will see history created as auDA will allow registrations of first-level domain names directly under .au. For example, instead of fool.com.au, this publication could grab the name fool.au.

auDA denied to The Motley Fool that July has been set as the open date for registrations. The Motley Fool understands it could be later in the year.

Regardless of when it happens, first-level domains under .au has never been allowed before and is expected to see a surge in business for domain name registrars like Webcentral.

Australians that already have web addresses will have a 6-month grace period to flag their interest in the equivalent new .au name. This is to stop opportunistic ‘squatters’ from nabbing existing business names.

“If you think from the perspective of a business owner, the logical decision is to just buy the domain in order to protect your brand,” said Crosser.

“The risk is that someone else buys it and either you have confused customers sent to the wrong website, or a fight on your hands. It’s a small outlay each year for this security and peace of mind.”

He added that when a similar move occurred in the UK, the industry saw a 20% to 30% increase in revenues.

read more (motley)

 

[Corey]

interesting, the idea has been floated before.

Cheers
Corey

 

[MadAboutDomains]

Oh no, this didn't go well for .UK!! It split the domains for no reason, made it more expensive for domain owners with no benefit whatsoever and cause they treated the new one as second rate instead of announcing it as a switch nobody cared (or cares now) about them.

Unless they announce that it's a switch its just a stitch up to make money. I can only hope that they do it properly, but money is the only driver so I'm sure they won't.

The board of the UK registry have just been booted out.

 

[griff]

Oh no, this didn't go well for .UK!!

yep. I manage some business sites on the side and none of them wanted the .uk version & still don't now years later. massive fail