New .MD TLD goes live next month

[aww]

At $200 a pop I don't think there will be a line.
But it's an alternative to the heavily restricted .pro TLD.

press release from MaxMD: Yahoo or Business Wire

MaxMD's initial marketing efforts will focus on a 60-day "sunrise period" that begins Monday, March 1, 2004 at 2:00 PM GMT and ends on April 29, 2004 at 10:00 PM GMT. During that time, qualified owners of U.S. and international trademarks may purchase .md domain names that correspond to their trademarks for $200 per domain name..... At the conclusion of this sunrise period, MaxMD will begin marketing .md domain names to physicians, medical institutions and other members of the global health care community.

MaxMD acquired long-term exclusive rights to market .md domain names in over 90 countries in North and South America, as well as in Europe and Asia. These rights were acquired from a Moldovan company that acquired them from a state enterprise of the Republic of Moldova. MaxMD is not affiliated with any company previously involved in marketing the .md domain. Moldova, a former republic of the USSR, was assigned the country code .md by ICANN

 

[InteractAsia]

$200? but that is for the trademark owners in the sunrise period.What about after that?

 

[RJ]

Ummmm, you can already register .MD domains for $59/yr at http://www.nic.md/

I've done so several times in the past.

/edit
Oh shoot nevermind, now when you pick that your'e from the US it redirects to MaxMD. Bummer.

 

[aww]

So this is a re-launch? Are the existing .md registrations being kept intact?
I guess their contract would require them to honor the previous ones, so you might have some "grandfathered" domains at lower prices (that just went up in value!).

 

[Toeki]

I"m still able to access nic.md

 

[armstrong]

It works for me as well. Also fromt he site:

12. How much does it cost?
$59 per name for one year term.

 

[RJ]

Originally posted by armstrong
It works for me as well. Also fromt he site:

Try choosing your country from the pull down menu. Does it redirect you?

 

[aww]

I wonder what the heck they are doing then, this is the most disorganized "launch" I have seen. Apparently if you are not within the 90 countries that MaxMD manages for nic.md, then it's only $59?

I guess they are doing this on marketing commision, pocketing the $150 or so.

Any .md domains you currently own just went up in value.
And I wonder what renewals are going to cost for you?

 

[armstrong]

Originally posted by -RJ-
Try choosing your country from the pull down menu. Does it redirect you?

I see what you mean. I was also redirected to maxmd.

 

[Anthony]

This is so stupid. I doubt most people would be willing to pay $59 a year for a .md -- I know people in the US aren't going to pay $200 for one! Anyone see a workaround for this problem?

.md would also be good for Maryland domain names. I still wish there was a .ny!