Buyers get set for mobile domains

Companies wanting to register .mobi domains for mobile services will receive new guidelines today. Meanwhile, firms aiming to serve customers across Europe can now take advantage of a new registration period for the .eu domain.

Applications for .mobi sites will begin on 22 May, the domain’s operator, Mobile Top Level Domain (MTLD) will announce today. The first week will be a so-called sunrise period set aside for members of the mobile community, according to the registry’s general manager, Neil Edwards. From late August, anyone will be able to apply.

The second sunrise period for the .eu domain opened last Tuesday. Until 7 April, companies with prior rights such as unregistered trademarks can apply for a .eu address. According to .eu operator Eurid, more than 71,000 new applications were made within the first hour.

Some argue that Eurid’s application process is costly and bureaucratic. Edwards said the MTLD registry has tried to avoid such criticism with the .mobi process. “We’ve tried to make it easy for those with trademarks to register their name; for resellers to sell names; and to ensure an optimal protection scheme [to discourage] cybersquatters,” he added.

Cybersquatters should be put off by a higher-than-average registration fee, Edwards said. A period to settle trademark disputes will follow the sunrise period.

MTLD has also released a guide to help firms create sites that are accessible to any mobile device.