Can .TEL be monetized?

[phase111]

Domainers go on about not being able to monetize a .tel, but if you had a great domain and plenty of rich kewords leading to traffic, then wouldn't you be able to direct .tel traffic to a monetized website, wouldn't this work well? It's not monetizing .tel itself as a website, just one that it points too. :santa:

 

[saucey]

just my 2 cents!

 

[Optional]

I think .tel potential will be seen eventually... When the registry expands the functionality and if they can snag a deal with Apple, Nokia or Google Android to have some sort of .tel based directory service built into mobile device operating systems.

The .tel environment also provides a new opportunity for developers, where they can take 100% control of content formatting, if it gets enough traction to attract them.

 

[Timewarp]

New adformats for .tel could also arise.
Even if it is outside of the .tel specification something like adsense for .tel might sneak it in browser side through a widget or use some new tech not currently in use.

 

[MicroGuy]

The internet is hard to find, and the connections are spotty at best..NO PROBLEM just type in hotels.tel into your cell phone, and discover which cities have hotels in your style and price range...

Now wait. Does .TEL operate on some strange super frequency or something. Do you mean that .TEL sites are available when HTTP and IP is not?

My understanding was that .TEL was pretty much like an ordinary domain using basically the same DNS protocols except the .TEL registry stripped them of their ability to host websites and email.

 

[Terrains]

Interesting news for .Tel

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Big-Brands-Buy-Into-Online/story.aspx?guid={59F3D727-0CC9-4A52-BB3C-F493D7992E44}

 

[Kate]

I bet these names are being reserved for defensive purposes and most won't even be live.

 

[Terrains]

Would make sense if most of these companies have a history of regging all extensions to defend themselves against squatters. However, I find that hard to imagine.

 

[lzy]

So with .tel, one wouldn't be able to host their own site or place their own content with it? :o

 

[Timewarp]

So with .tel, one wouldn't be able to host their own site or place their own content with it? :o

You can't host a web site on it but you can place some content such as phone numbers, addresses and emails...its like a directory. They store your info in the DNS so no hosting is required.

Im wondering if there is a limit since they provide the equivalent of hosting. What if I had usa.tel with the purpose of listing contact info for every person in the usa, that seems like some rather heavy overhead for the registrar to handle for the price of a domain.

 

[Jeff]

Interesting news for .Tel

Interesting, indeed. :gl:

"We're delighted to see applications from such a breadth of businesses and categories worldwide," said Khashayar Mahdavi, CEO of Telnic. "Trademark owners have obviously got the message that .tel is a huge departure from .com-type domains that host web content and is instead an innovative platform for communications."
Within the first minute of Sunrise (the two-month period for trademark holders to apply for their .tel domains), Google, Apple, Microsoft, News Corporation, MySpace, Amex, BP, FedEx, Virgin, Sony, Gap, Visa, McDonalds, Orange, MTV, Dell, Coca-Cola, Vodafone, Honda, Intel, BlackBerry, P&G, Starbucks, Subway, Johnson & Johnson, Dominos, Cisco, Unilever, Best Buy, British Airways and Victoria's Secret amongst others had all applied for their .tel domains. Other applications included:
- Prestige Brands: Jimmy Choo, Ferrari, Maserati, Versace, Tiffany & Co, Porsche, Lamborghini, Davos-Klosters, St. Moritz, Marks & Spencer, Bose, Hermes, Patek Philippe, DeBeers, Rolex, BMW, Orient Express, Ugg, Christian Dior, Faberge ...

That's pretty incredible for the brand new and highly brandable .TEL ... but it still remains - caveat emptor - to be seen if it's just another case of the following (as was the case with the failed "dot Mobey") as Kate suggests:

I bet these names are being reserved for defensive purposes and most won't even be live.

Given the ease to which the short, concise .TEL is intuitive and both memorable and highly brandable ... it may prove an easier road ahead for Telnic™ with its launch and subsequent deployments, critical awareness and mass promotions than proved to be the case with a floundering (greedy) mTLD and the severely lengthy and awkward "dot Mobey", IMHO.
Just my two sense.

Happy New Year!
-Jeff :santa:

 

[saucey]

You can't host a web site on it but you can place some content such as phone numbers, addresses and emails...its like a directory. They store your info in the DNS so no hosting is required.

Im wondering if there is a limit since they provide the equivalent of hosting. What if I had usa.tel with the purpose of listing contact info for every person in the usa, that seems like some rather heavy overhead for the registrar to handle for the price of a domain.

Not only phone numbers, addresses and emails... but websites and maps.

like this example http://hotels.tel Apparantly you could list all of the hotels in the world...or so it insinuates....

 

[siga]

I've done a bit of research into it, you cna get a trial from http://telnic.org/vip/index.html.
What I find interesting is the fact that it is almost completely devoid of any requirement for website design. All you are required to do is provide the details you want under certain headings, therefore it is like an e business card, with the potential to store lots of info.
If it hits of, it will be because of a large number of units being sold and utilised ie people using it day to day. IMHO this could be possible as anyone could set one up quite quickly.

They do provide a geocoded link to map google maps at present.

Timewarp I emailed the support for .tel, the vip trial has a limit of 7 folders deep which are like subheadings. There is also an upwards limit on the number of contacts you can store. These limits will be taken off when it goes live but can in theory be limited by the individual domain registrars.....

 

[Domainate.com]

.tel USEFUL? Yea maybe.
.tel PROFITABLE? I highly doubt it.

I can MAYBE see companies using it to list their contact information. But how that would translate to generic names I don't quite see. Even if selling the space to another company...it would have to be proven to have value, and just like with .mobi, people have to on a widespread scale adopt it to mean what it's supposed to, contact information, or it's going to flop. That's what I think will happen tbh.

 

[-REECE-]

I don't see there being much of an aftermarket for them, however the extension does appear to have a purpose which is something rare lately. I could see some people finding the extension useful.

.tel USEFUL? Yea maybe.
.tel PROFITABLE? I highly doubt it.

I can MAYBE see companies using it to list their contact information. But how that would translate to generic names I don't quite see. Even if selling the space to another company...it would have to be proven to have value, and just like with .mobi, people have to on a widespread scale adopt it to mean what it's supposed to, contact information, or it's going to flop. That's what I think will happen tbh.

Beat me to it by 1 min