The .TEL Discussion Thread

[brendan52190]

Hi

For this, let's assume that .tel will not be a total flop.

What type of keywords will be most valuable for this extension? Will it be geographical keywords, like newyork.tel, losangeles.tel, etc, or what else?

 

[ecigs.net]

I am not here to entertain you, ecigs.net. Dot tel is dead but if you like playing with corpses I won't stop you.

I'm not sure why you are here. You should be here to discuss domain names in a friendly, intelligent manner. You consistently fail to do this. If any one at NamePros is reading this, know that the people that wanted to talk about TEL all moved to the TEL forum because of people like this individual. Your one sentences are not funny and they also drive people away from NamePros. Your attitude hurts the community here. You might think you are entertaining people, but you are only entertaining yourself.

Yeah, doesn't seem to be any interest... listed 8 for sale in the make offers section, including genome.tel and insures.tel - not even one pm. Any other extension would have at least garnered 2/3 offers, if not more, for these keywords. Guess I won't be renewing my .tels - specially since the .tel I use for my personal info doesn't even figure in the first 3 pages when you search for my name. :lol:

I ran a scan on Genome.tel and found that you are not in the first 200 Google results and that you have a total of zero social bookmarkings and 11 backlinks. That's rather limited for a domain name that you have had for a year. With insures.tel, the situation is even worse: not in the first 200 results, no backlinks and no social bookmarkings. (I use RageSW to generate this information.)

Even the links on the Genome.tel need some help. This is what I found after clicking the MediaWiz link:

Web Developers Mumbai India - MediaWiz Interactive. We're sorry but the page you requested could not be found. Return to site. Error 404

I'm sorry to tell you this Samit, but you haven't done any work with these domains other than post some limited content on them that doesn't really give the user any real information. Why would anybody buy a domain from you that you have not added value too? If Genome.tel was in the first 10 results at google, you'd have something to sell. The way it is now, all you have is a good keyword in an unknown TLD that is not getting indexed very well.

That's the problem with TEL. It is not a traditional TLD. Using COM tactics (parking and waiting) to sell it are never going to work. If you don't work with it, you might as well drop it because all you are going to do is lose money renewing it.
:imho:

 

[DubDubDubDot]

If you don't work with it, you might as well drop it because all you are going to do is lose money renewing it.

271 pages in you finally admit that there is no money in .tel domaining.

Once people start talking about developing or dropping, you know that extension isn't going anywhere.

 

[mwzd]

I ran a scan on Genome.tel and found that you are not in the first 200 Google results and that you have a total of zero social bookmarkings and 11 backlinks. That's rather limited for a domain name that you have had for a year.

11 backlinks in a .com for the exact term and it would be in the top 200 results.

I can take a .name and make it rank via seo, what inherent seo advantage have people been touting then?

I'm sorry to tell you this Samit, but you haven't done any work with these domains other than post some limited content on them that doesn't really give the user any real information. Why would anybody buy a domain from you that you have not added value too?

I routinely sell domains that we haven't even hosted, let alone developed. Which pretty much underlines the lack of value of the extension.

If Genome.tel was in the first 10 results at google, you'd have something to sell. The way it is now, all you have is a good keyword in an unknown TLD that is not getting indexed very well.

Again, if I got a .name in the first 10 results of any high cpc value term, it would be worth money, probably more than the .tel even then. :lol:

That's the problem with TEL. It is not a traditional TLD. Using COM tactics (parking and waiting) to sell it are never going to work. If you don't work with it, you might as well drop it because all you are going to do is lose money renewing it.
:imho:

It is a huge problem tbh, if you can't rank via its 'inherent seo advantage' as is then it has no value, not now, not ever.

And yes, I agree, dropping it might be the only option, which considering the value of the keyword in any other extension, pretty much underlines the state of .tel today.

 

[doubleU]

2 for 1 .tel's at dynadot this month - that's nice !

 

[MicroGuy]

2 for 1 .tel's at dynadot this month - that's nice !

I'm holding out for the 5 for 1 clearance sale coming later this summer.

 

[mwzd]

You can't sell a .tel for reg fee.

Fairly pointless buying any more.

:lol:

 

[doubleU]

It suits me fine to have as many quitters of the .tel TLD - less competition = better chance of success :wave:

 

[doubleU]

You can't sell a .tel for reg fee.

Fairly pointless buying any more.

:lol:

pay [dottel] is now on auction at sedo - starting bid $5000 !

 

[hullswingerscom]

starting bid $5000 ...i see it but cant Believe it.

 

[spline]

Why not, its probably one of the worlds top domain names for a mobile/phone payment service or loan service.

I got atleast two potential buyers interested in my swedish realestate agent/brooker domain, (mäklare.tel) at starting price 3400 Euro.

 

[Kate]

starting bid $5000 ...i see it but cant Believe it.

Once in a lifetime
If it's for real.

 

[mwzd]

Guess I need to buy some of the telkoolaid the buyer seems to be drinking to try and sell my .tels

I had listed some great .tels and didn't receive a single offer.

Can say its the keywords, but the lack of interest is probably due to the extension imho.

 

[WordWalker]

dotTEL & Business



Even assuming that dotTEL makes for a poor online directory that can't compete with traditional, full featured websites, eventually business entities looking for the perfect 800, 866, 877, 888 or similar style phone number (to which thousands of companies already append two random digits followed by "4" - and then a four letter keyword that directly relates to the offering of a specific product or service (i.e, 1-8XX-XX4-GOLD), what could be easier or more memorable than just 4Gold.tel?

In combination with live call centers (think 1-800-DENTIST) or Interactive Voice Response systems (IVR) and/or other direct voice communications, dotTEL offers plenty of viable business solutions for the future.


dotTEL & Consumers

When a major cellular provider wakes up to the fact that it can gain a major competitive advantage by offering its customers the choice of either a standard ten digit telephone number or a custom alphanumeric dotTEL domain name of each customer's own choosing, dotTEL will be seen from an altogether different vantage point. Not only will the end user find this inviting, but it will create savings for cellular providers in the assigning, forwarding and porting over of numbers for mobile devices. In hindsight, the concept will appear so basic that people will wonder why this alternative wasn't offered years earlier.


Why?

The leap from ten digit phone numbers to domain names is far more intuitive than the universally accepted transition from IP numbers to domain names that took place well over a decade ago for websites. So successful and seamless was that transition, I suspect few people even recall that website addresses were once dominated by IP numbers - NOT keywords.

So forget about all the head-to-head website comparisons that form the basis for the primary criticism of dotTEL, and, if you must, think of dotTEL as nothing more than a replacement for a phone number. Period.

Any additional functionality is icing on the cake.


Epilogue

More than two years ago I learned about TelNIC and dotTEL while researching the concept of replacing phone numbers with domain names. It never occurred to me that part of that equation would include a standardized Rolodex style website template.

In other words, I have always believed that replacing a phone number with a domain name was, in and of itself, enough.

During landrush and general registration, while many domainers were scurrying for the usual PPC & directory based keywords that were in greatest demand, I was more interested in dotTEL domain names that would facilitate one click connections with call center, IVR and/or other real-time voice based communications from an ever expanding number of mobile devices:

Towing
CheckCashing
PaydayLoans
Candy
FlowerDelivery
FreeHoroscope
GoldCoins
GiftBasket
Greetings
MoneyOrders
AutoRepairs
Homework
JobSearch
Resume
Webmaster
Plumbing
Tux
TalkRadio
Tattoo
Romance

4Taxi
4News
4Lawyer
4Dentist
4Doctor
4Pizza
4Diet
4Gifts
4Tickets
4Sports
4Weather
4Work
4Toys
4Gold
4Silver
4Florist
4Hostel
4Autoparts

Despite the hundreds of negative dotTEL comments posted to this thread over the last year, I have seen no compelling justification to abandon any of my assumptions that initially led me to TelNIC. In fact, with the number of mobile devices worldwide overtaking both desktop and laptop computers in total units in-service, the transition to domain based voice calling not only appears likely, but even inevitable.

If anything is doomed to failure, it's not the TelNIC concept, but rather the expectation that dotTEL is just another domain name.

It isn't.

 

[Acroplex]

Listing your worthless .tel domains in a forum thread is the only sure way to spider them in Google :D Now, denial of failure is a right, as long as it affects only yourself. Suggesting that others should share your failure by holding onto worthless domains that's not exactly smart.

From the beginning, TelNIC promoted .tel as the next big thing since sliced bread. They had a great start with a commercial that kicked the show. After that, crickets. In 18 months the total number of registrations is at 240k, less than what it was in December of 2009. Meanwhile, .co - a real TLD by any measure - is at 420k in less than a month.

Act wisely with your investments.

 

[gkjunior]

The .co extension has nothing to do with the .tel extension. But since you mention it I believe confusion among consumers will reign in regards to remembering if it was .co or .com especially when one sticks an email address on the .co But that’s okay because when your client goes to your .tel all they have to do is click on the email. So if the .co survives it will be no thanks to the .Tel

As far as making statements like “worthless” that’s a little hard to swallow but probably not as hard as the incredibly over sized humble pie that will inevitably find its way to your doorstep.

 

[Acroplex]

Guess you pumped a few $'s in to .co Acro as I think I have seen you promoting or at least lauding more than once. :gl:

I invest in any TLD worth my time and money. That's why .tel and IDNs won't receive any love from me. Those that support a dead horse after the carcass has been reduced to skin and bones deserve to be reminded of their blind faith.

---------- Post added at 07:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:07 PM ----------

As far as making statements like “worthless” that’s a little hard to swallow but probably not as hard as the incredibly over sized humble pie that will inevitably find its way to your doorstep.

I'd love to hear about the succe$$ you had with .tel and how effectively one can park, monetize and develop .tel domains. Wait. You can't.

 

[WordWalker]

Listing your worthless .tel domains in a forum thread is the only sure way to spider them in Google :D Now, denial of failure is a right, as long as it affects only yourself. Suggesting that others should share your failure by holding onto worthless domains that's not exactly smart.

From the beginning, TelNIC promoted .tel as the next big thing since sliced bread. They had a great start with a commercial that kicked the show. After that, crickets. In 18 months the total number of registrations is at 240k, less than what it was in December of 2009. Meanwhile, .co - a real TLD by any measure - is at 420k in less than a month.

Act wisely with your investments.

No doubt, your vast record of accomplishments makes everything and anything I have ever done or could ever hope to do appear insignificant by comparison.

If the United States Government ever created a Supreme Court of Domain Names, I am confident you would eventually be nominated to a post on that bench. I know I will never be honored with such a distinguished appointment.

Let me be the first to congratulate you in advance. Well done. Rep'd!

 

[Acroplex]

WordWalker - I am flattered, even by pure sarcasm, as is the case here.

But let's be honest: why oh why would you support a TLD that won't let you put content on it the way EVERY OTHER TLD ON THE PLANET does?

Why do you support a.text.editor.style.hierarchy.tel that requires painstaking editing instead of file uploading?

Why would you still support a TLD that does not rank in search engines but requires crafty pushing of the .tel domain by referencing on some other TLD?

I asked TelNIC in the past why don't they open the DNS layer and they said they can't because that's the agreement with ICANN. I think they don't want to, because the .tel DNS layer is one giant database of data in the hands of TelNIC.

All that, and more, with sarcasm turned off.

 

[gkjunior]

I invest in any TLD worth my time and money. That's why .tel and IDNs won't receive any love from me. Those that support a dead horse after the carcass has been reduced to skin and bones deserve to be reminded of their blind faith.

---------- Post added at 07:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:07 PM ----------



I'd love to hear about the succe$$ you had with .tel and how effectively one can park, monetize and develop .tel domains. Wait. You can't.

The .tel was sold as a point of contact that could be easily updated in lieu of having to have to have others having to update you when you have made changes. You yourself recently went through all the trouble to find some one who had their domains taken because of a drop. If that person had a .tel you would have been able to find them easily enough. So all this stuff you write about parking and monetizing is not the issue. You could always use pay per call and monetize in that manner. But that to is not the primary purpose of the extension.

We have been over this before, but apparently your interest in this extension hinges on the ability to drop in and state that someone’s names are worthless. They are to you but not everyone. The humble pie day will come.

 

[Acroplex]

Hey junior - spare me the humble pie advice. I don't invest in junk. In particular, I don't *force* others to invest in junk when I know that it is crud - on the contrary, I let others know how crappy it is.

Yes, we heard the story before: .tel is something of a special TLD, in the sense that a retard child is special and needs special care.

So please don't tell us that all the keywords of the rainbow are doable in .tel because that's what the .tel fanbois have been claiming all along.

Have you seen the numbers? Please explain to me why 200k .tel domains were registered in 3 months from launch to mid-summer last year, then only 30k-40k more to this day? Perhaps TelNIC hoarded a lot of these names? And now I've seen 2-for-1 registrations for .tel and TelNIC releasing 2 and 1 character .tel domains. I mean, ok. I understand that since the boat is sunk the rats want out with one final bite of the cheese.

If I need a biz card, a contact page I can do that on ANY TLD with a real web site. I don't need a .tel

The .tel was sold as a point of contact that could be easily updated in lieu of having to have to have others having to update you when you have made changes. You yourself recently went through all the trouble to find some one who had their domains taken because of a drop. If that person had a .tel you would have been able to find them easily enough. So all this stuff you write about parking and monetizing is not the issue. You could always use pay per call and monetize in that manner. But that to is not the primary purpose of the extension.

We have been over this before, but apparently your interest in this extension hinges on the ability to drop in and state that someone’s names are worthless. They are to you but not everyone. The humble pie day will come.