Ok, I have brought this up before and this will be the last time, but I would like to vent because our company is going to lose a good amount of money and that should buy me a little venting time... 
Neustar entered into a contract with the US Department of Commerce that stated
Everytime I bring this up, it just goes by the wayside. I apologize if I am beating a dead horse, but it is clear that Neustar has not fulfilled their agreement. Further, if one would visit one of those 44k+ sites they would see that there is nothing but ppc pages that are developed with google adsense. Lastly, all of the Adsense ads are for .com domains, these sites are to be for .US businesses, only!
What am I not getting?
I am told that the development of the zipcode search project was "too difficult" and they needed more time for development. My question is, why did they not take that into consideration when bidding for the registry and agreeing to this time frame?
It is a year past their deadline, isn't that enough time?
Has this turned into a profit making venture for Neustar?
Or is this project over their head or maybe a scam?
Are they making $$$ off of these sites from the Google Adsense?
If they are making $$$ off of 44k + ppc sites, where does that money go?
The reason the Department of Commerce set aside all of the zipcodes, was to stimulate local US economy. By creating the first localized zipcode searchable database this would have created a landmark event, the largest, local database. It could have made the .US market sky rocket in sales!
As it is the .US is limping in the ccTLD market, the politicians (who are presumably patriotic) don't even use it for their campaigns (there is one exception, to my knowledge).
The .US should be the strongest ccTLD of any, Germany and the UK are two that are much more associated with their ccTDL.
My company has a vested interest in the .US market, because of the Neustar and DOC agreement. Relying upon that agreement to be true, we purchased hundreds of local domains names to hold for development when the zipcode directory was launched. It was obvious that this would have been a boon to the .US economy sales could not help but skyrocket, but that was two years ago. This year we donβt intend on renewing those domains.
Last year I spoke to a Neustar representative named Ivor (they would not give me his direct phone #, I left a message and he returned my call). He told me great things about the zipcode search directory, one of which was that it would be mobile ready so it could surpass the .mobi in the US. He promised to get back to me once they had completed the project. I called him again this year (or left message for him) he did get back to me, leaving a voice mail stating that he would get back to me later that week, that was the last I heard from him, which was three weeks ago. IMHO, the zipcode search directory has been deep 6ed...
Today there are many search algorithyms that will give you local businesses, zipcode search, even add maps to your search. It seems that even if Neustar pulls this one out of their hat, that the bells and whistles are not there, someone has already done it, beat them to the punch...
We do see some impressive sales in the .US market today, however those are for primarily coveted keywords. The LLL market for the .US, according to 3Character.com has recently taken a $15 dive, still making it the lowest coveted LLL.
The zipcode search directory could have been a great thing for the American public!
It could have listed local disaster information, amber alerts, traffic conditions, and most of all local businesses doing business in that geographical area.
Now if I type in my zipcode.us all I get is dated census information, a stream from weather.com and lots of google adsense.
What a shame and disappointment β¦.
Ok, thanks and I am done.
Neustar entered into a contract with the US Department of Commerce that stated
doc
Everytime I bring this up, it just goes by the wayside. I apologize if I am beating a dead horse, but it is clear that Neustar has not fulfilled their agreement. Further, if one would visit one of those 44k+ sites they would see that there is nothing but ppc pages that are developed with google adsense. Lastly, all of the Adsense ads are for .com domains, these sites are to be for .US businesses, only!
What am I not getting?
I am told that the development of the zipcode search project was "too difficult" and they needed more time for development. My question is, why did they not take that into consideration when bidding for the registry and agreeing to this time frame?
It is a year past their deadline, isn't that enough time?
Has this turned into a profit making venture for Neustar?
Or is this project over their head or maybe a scam?
Are they making $$$ off of these sites from the Google Adsense?
If they are making $$$ off of 44k + ppc sites, where does that money go?
The reason the Department of Commerce set aside all of the zipcodes, was to stimulate local US economy. By creating the first localized zipcode searchable database this would have created a landmark event, the largest, local database. It could have made the .US market sky rocket in sales!
As it is the .US is limping in the ccTLD market, the politicians (who are presumably patriotic) don't even use it for their campaigns (there is one exception, to my knowledge).
The .US should be the strongest ccTLD of any, Germany and the UK are two that are much more associated with their ccTDL.
My company has a vested interest in the .US market, because of the Neustar and DOC agreement. Relying upon that agreement to be true, we purchased hundreds of local domains names to hold for development when the zipcode directory was launched. It was obvious that this would have been a boon to the .US economy sales could not help but skyrocket, but that was two years ago. This year we donβt intend on renewing those domains.
Last year I spoke to a Neustar representative named Ivor (they would not give me his direct phone #, I left a message and he returned my call). He told me great things about the zipcode search directory, one of which was that it would be mobile ready so it could surpass the .mobi in the US. He promised to get back to me once they had completed the project. I called him again this year (or left message for him) he did get back to me, leaving a voice mail stating that he would get back to me later that week, that was the last I heard from him, which was three weeks ago. IMHO, the zipcode search directory has been deep 6ed...
Today there are many search algorithyms that will give you local businesses, zipcode search, even add maps to your search. It seems that even if Neustar pulls this one out of their hat, that the bells and whistles are not there, someone has already done it, beat them to the punch...
We do see some impressive sales in the .US market today, however those are for primarily coveted keywords. The LLL market for the .US, according to 3Character.com has recently taken a $15 dive, still making it the lowest coveted LLL.
The zipcode search directory could have been a great thing for the American public!
It could have listed local disaster information, amber alerts, traffic conditions, and most of all local businesses doing business in that geographical area.
Now if I type in my zipcode.us all I get is dated census information, a stream from weather.com and lots of google adsense.
What a shame and disappointment β¦.
Ok, thanks and I am done.
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