TELECOM Digest OnLine - Sorted: EU Expects a Rush for '.eu' Domain Name

EU Expects a Rush for '.eu' Domain Name

Helena Spongenberg (ap@telecom-digest.org)
Sun, 4 Dec 2005 13:17:38 -0600

By HELENA SPONGENBERG, Associated Press Writer

The European Union expects a surge of applications next week when its
".eu" regional domain name opens for registration.

"I expect a real rush, several hundred thousand in the first few
days," EU Information Society Commissioner Viviane Reding told
reporters Thursday. "European companies should waste no time and
register for the new `.eu' domain name."

Reding and other supporters believe such a domain will help promote
European identity and create greater visibility for pan-European
e-commerce. Currently, businesses must use domains for their
particular country, such as ".fr" for France, or a global one like
".com," which is seen by some as mostly a U.S. suffix.

Registration for ".eu" names begins on Dec. 7 at 10 a.m. GMT, and such
names can be used immediately.

For the first two months, only certain rights holders such as
registered trademark owners, public bodies and companies can
register. On Feb. 2, ".eu" opens up to family names. General
registration begins April 7 on a first-come, first-served basis.

Reding said the restricted periods were needed "to reduce considerably
the risk of cyber-squatting" - the illicit use of domain names for
fraudulent use.

Such periods, known as sunrise, are typical these days as new domains
get introduced.

The ".eu" domain name will be run by EURid, a private European
nonprofit group. About 750 licensed resellers will accept
registrations on EURid's behalf.

Registrations are limited to people who live in the EU and to
companies with headquarters or branches inside the 25-nation bloc.

Prices are expected to range from euro80 to euro140 ($94 to $164)
during the sunrise periods. They should drop to euro25 to euro30 ($29
to $35) once regular registration begins.

There are about 250 domain names on the Internet, but they are
typically assigned by country or territory.

The Internet's key oversight agency, the Internet Corporation for
Assigned Names and Numbers, made an exception because EU is on a
special "reserved" list kept by the International Organization for
Standards, a worldwide standardization body.

ICANN also is considering a ".asia" name for that continent.

On the Net:

http://www.eurid.eu

Copyright 2005 The Associated Press.

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