.uk Is it time for the UK to switch from .CO.UK to .UK?

[MadAboutDomains]

Hello all,

On 10th June 2014, Nominet, the registry for the .UK namespace introduced .UK names into the mix. Prior to this, companies and individuals up and down the land were using .CO.UK names without detriment or confusion. They introduced .UK names with a reservation period, where anyone with a .CO.UK domain registration has the right to register their equivalent .UK domain for a period of 5 years (OK, it was a bit more complicated than that, but the main case is .CO.UK can have .UK).

It's now 2019 and the outlook on .UK looks pretty bleak. No one appears to be interested in just .UK, hardly any average Joe even knows about it. Buying a .UK alone without rights to the .CO.UK leads to no end of trouble and for any self respecting business they are a security risk too! When you so much as utter a .UK domain in public (e.g. House.uk) the person on the receiving end of this information will instinctively say "Do you mean .CO.UK?"... no I didn't. It's .UK!

I thought that the introduction of the .UK would be great. I thought it would slimline our domain system and bring us into line with most other countries around the world, where they use the shortest equivalent of their ccTLD. We're just months away from the reservation period coming to an end and I predict a complete mess. Those who aren't savvy enough with .CO.UK names are going to lose their right to .UK and they're going to get instantly snapped up... probably by domainers .

I think that the intention was that .CO.UK and .UK could live side by side. I don't see it this way, I think it's down right confusing. I also think that it's expensive for no reason. From June this year, every company and individual will have to claim their .UK name, 99% of them with probably use it solely as a redirect to their .CO.UK and pay double on renewal fees for no added benefit to anyone. If people don't switch en masse, then there has been a sum total of ZERO benefit created by introducing it imho.

I wanted to get the community's thoughts on this... in light of the reservation period coming to an end, is it time that the UK decided to switch from .CO.UK to .UK like most other countries around the world? Chuck .CO.UK and leave it to die and embrace .UK, that's my opinion. If it isn't done now whilst most people have access to their .UK equivalent, it will never happen.

Looking forward to hearing what you have to say.

 

[MadAboutDomains]

It's going to be a nightmare for some businesses. I agree with you and feel that many legitimate businesses are going to feel pretty wronged by Nominet when they realise that their .UK name has been whipped up. There's no reason that they should have to keep up with the 'domain business' for them to avoid getting trapped in a situation like this.

I know that some people will say that it's the domain owner's fault and that they should have kept an eye on their emails, or that the .UK names are worthless - but they are essentially sold as a pair of domains because they have released them this way and they won't be worthless to the companies that lose out on the day.

 

[savinglara]

General question - Are you guys planing to be ready-steady-go @ the date when the .co.uk domainowners rights are gone and anyone can register the .uk version of exciting co.uk?

 

[BrandEntrance.com]

General question - Are you guys planing to be ready-steady-go @ the date when the .co.uk domainowners rights are gone and anyone can register the .uk version of exciting co.uk?

The general consensus among the UK Domainers is that the .uk introduction is a mess from what I have read. I am a member of a few British Forums for Domainers.

People are just tuned into searching .co.uk according to the Domaining Community there who have a great grasp of what End Customers want.

It seems there is a lot of resistance to change in this industry.

 

[BaileyUK]

General question - Are you guys planing to be ready-steady-go @ the date when the .co.uk domainowners rights are gone and anyone can register the .uk version of exciting co.uk?

Thankfully, I only have a small holding of UK domains these days. (and have my desired first-level.UK's) So I have been able to watch the unraveling pretty much as a spectator. I'll be glued to my screen on the day of the launch but, certainly wont participate

 

[BrandEntrance.com]

Thankfully, I only have a small holding of UK domains these days. (and have my desired first-level.UK's) So I have been able to watch the unraveling pretty much as a spectator. I'll be glued to my screen on the day of the launch but, certainly wont participate

I generally buy the .co.uk and .uk together.

 

[BrandEntrance.com]

General question - Are you guys planing to be ready-steady-go @ the date when the .co.uk domainowners rights are gone and anyone can register the .uk version of exciting co.uk?

After the deadline anyone will be able to register the .uk equivalent of the .co.uk holder's domain name. I have a few .co.uk domains and have already bought the .uk but it's really like a tax. Domaner's poll tax.

 

[GoKaizen]

https://seemly.co.uk/countdown/uk-domains-ror

.UK countdown timer.

 

[haz]

It depends on the type of business, a solicitor or plumber doesn't need to change because people don't return to the sites much, but a taxi firm or shop like Amazon or Curry's should change because people remember the address and keep returning easier. Once these businesses change new sites that don't get much return custom will go with .uk and the rest will copy. A lot of people with .co.uk websites who have spent time and money advertising won't like the change, notice a lot of the people commenting against .uk have .co.uk websites. The general public especially older people know .co.uk but that doesn't mean they prefer it, they also know .com, .org. .gov.uk, etc. they will prefer .uk to co.uk. The .uk domain hasn't even been pushed yet.