Press Release

.CO Founders Program Launches to Engage Early Adopters, Proactively Develop Domain Extension

MIAMI–(BUSINESS WIRE)– .CO Internet S.A.S. (www.COinternet.co), a new company formed by Arcelandia S.A., a wholly-owned Colombian company, and U.S. company Neustar, Inc., today announced the launch plan for the .CO domain name extension that offers enterprises and individuals a global, recognizable, and credible option in branding their Internet presence.

As a premium domain name space, .CO domains will be available through a select list of accredited partners, including many of the world’s largest and most well-respected domain registrars. These registrars have committed to following international best practices to ensure the integrity and value of the name space for all who participate.

A multi-phase Launch Plan will protect the rights of trademark holders and ensure the stable and orderly distribution of .CO domain names.

• A global Sunrise will take place from April 26 through June 10, allowing eligible trademark holders the right to apply for the .CO domain names corresponding to their marks before registration is open to the general public.
• Landrush will occur from June 21 through July 13, and will be open to anyone interested in registering certain high priority domain names.
• General availability will begin on July 20, opening the .CO domain for registrations on a first-come, first-served basis around the world.

The .CO Founders Program

Starting today, early adopters can gain a true first mover advantage by applying to be included in the .CO Founders Program, an initiative designed to help qualified “first movers” to proactively develop and maintain domains with the .CO extension prior to the public launch in July. The .CO Founders Program is open to all interested applicants from individuals to businesses and big brands.

“The .CO Founders Program provides an excellent opportunity for early adopters to secure short and memorable domain names and truly help shape the .CO name space,” said Juan Diego Calle, CEO of .CO Internet. “Participants in the program will benefit by potentially being featured in an aggressive .CO advertising and marketing program; likewise they will be expected to actively promote their domain to benefit the broader .COmmunity,” added Calle.

How to Apply for The .CO Founders Program

Applicants submit an application via www.COinternet.co/cofounders explaining the .CO domain they’d like to develop, as well as additional details about themselves and their launch proposal. .CO Internet will then review the applications and approve those that will best contribute to the .CO community. .CO Internet will award domains, at their discretion, subject to certain terms and conditions.

Demand for Increased Domain Options

At the close of 2009, there were more than 192 million domain names registered — an increase of nearly 15 million domain names since the end of 2008. Of those registered, more than 95 million .com domain names have been registered.

Associated globally with the words “COmpany,” “COrporation” and “COmmerce” – the .CO domain opens up new opportunities in the currently saturated online environment.

.CO domains are easy to recognize, simple to remember, and flexible to use. The .CO extension also offers the perfect platform for a new generation of socially-networked individuals and businesses to COmmunicate and COllaborate online.

About .CO Internet S.A.S.

.CO Internet S.A.S. is the Registry Operator for the .CO top-level domain. .CO Internet was formed by a strategic venture between Arcelandia S.A., a wholly-owned Colombian company, and the U.S. public company, Neustar, Inc. The .CO domain offers individuals and businesses a truly global, recognizable and credible option in branding their online presence. Thanks to newly liberalized policies, leading-edge technology, enhanced security and unprecedented rights protections for trademark owners, the .CO domain is poised to become the world’s next premier web address. For additional information, please visit www.COinternet.co.

Speak Your Mind (9)

I somehow stumbled across a comic strip on music.us that shows a guy letting his .com domain name drop and instead using the alternative extension .music. Hmmm, I don’t know, it would really depend on what the .com was.

My opinion on .music…I like it. I actually like the idea of extensions like .music and .movie IF registrations are restricted to the musicians and movie companies. Sorry domain investors, I don’t think these extensions should be open for us. For these types of extensions to succeed they must be used for the purpose intended.

What are your thoughts?

Speak Your Mind (8)

As many of you already know, I am a believer in .TV and would love to see it succeed. Well, a couple weeks ago I had the pleasure of speaking with four members of VeriSign about the domain extension .TV. We talked about the good and the bad and hope to work together in the future for the benefit of the extension.

Earlier today I received an email from Michaela Barnes, Director of Product Management for VeriSign, explaining that the Watch.tv blog was launched to support the great .TV extension community as well as help educate the use of online video.

Make sure to check out their introduction video. You’ll see one of their Registry Operation Command Centers in the background, which is very cool!

Not familiar with the .TV extension? Then, I suggest checking out Watch.tv for more information.

One more thing. Those that have been following my personal .TV development with TampaBay.tv, it’s coming soon! Sorry for the delay but between traveling, speaking and other projects it took a back seat for a little bit. I’m happy to report things are now back on track to be completed very soon.

Speak Your Mind (2)

I wish I was able take the credit for this, but I cannot. My buddy Daniel Dryzek of DanielDryzek.com and MeetDomainers.com just shared with me this great list on Twitter. The list is made up of all the 1 and 2 character .de domain names registered earlier today. Daniel also posted a list of all the .de domain names that were bid on in Sedo’s pre-auction which you can check out on his blog.

Click Here To View List

I would say this list is about 97% complete.

Speak Your Mind (5)

I always hear people say, if you own a .com domain name buy the other extensions to protect your brand. Well I am here to tell you it works both ways.

For my example, I am using Justin.tv. Justin.tv has an Alexa rank of 253 with Compete.com showing over 3.5 million visitors each and every month. Using this name as the example, who do you think would be getting any mistaken type in traffic? If you guessed Justin.com you would be wrong. JustinTV.com has an Alexa rank of 65,359 and Compete.com is showing 49,192 visits last month.

JustinTV.com is for sale with an asking price of $500,000 FIRM. That of course is a ridiculous figure for the domain name. Or is it? Well, with Justin.tv being developed, now JustinTV.com has value. Is $500,000 too much? I don’t know. Only Justin.tv can say what the nearly 50,000 potential losses in monthly visits mean.

I am practicing what I preach. Last week my partner and I purchased TampaBayTV.com for $995 to protect our project TampaBay.tv. Which by the way, should be launching around October 15th. I tried to do this for Indianapolis.in but IndianapolisIN.com was already taken and being used.

This example is not only for .tv domain extensions. It is more so for any developed sites that are used in areas where .com is the extension of choice. Another example, which I commend him for, is Bruce Marler, owner of Missouri.me. He went out and purchased MissouriME.com to secure his brand.

PS – You could take this advice as a domain investor and go out and purchase any names that may be getting type in traffic from developed sites.

Speak Your Mind (11)