Get ready to register premium mobile domains

Trademark holders will be able to apply for domains such as cinema.mobi next month

DotMobi, the registry for the new .mobi mobile top-level domain, has announced that generic words and phrases will shortly be made available for firms to register as their domain name – potentially boosting the value of their brands.

Trademark owners will be able to apply for Premium Names such as taxi.mobi or cinema.mobi from 15 September, and applications from the general public will be allowed from 11 October.

The registry has worked with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (Wipo) to draw up the application and "equitable allocation" process. Trademark holders will have to meet strict eligibility criteria including proof that they have used relevant trademarks in good faith for at least five years prior to applying.

They must also provide a short description of why they are entitled to receive the Premium Name and they must have registered their trademark before 11 July 2005.

A fee of $1,500 is payable to Wipo, which will decide if an applying firm is eligible. If more than one application succeeds, dotMobi will make the final decision via either an auction or Request for Proposals (RFP) process.

"The process is not first-come-first-served and so allows trademark holders a chance to prepare their application well and to gather any documentary evidence, said dotMobi's Caroline Greer. "Auctions or RFPs level the playing field and open the market to everyone. First-come-first served methods do not always serve the market well and can be gamed in many ways [as seen with] the .eu process."

Phil Turnbull of web hosting firm Hostway welcomed the registry's separate handling of generic names to reduce the likelihood of fraudulent applications and ensure the best content for consumers.

"It is refreshing to have a domain release which has been completely thought through," Turnbull said. "The [allocation methods] are the best that can be done in the situation – there's quite a pointed comparison between .eu and .mobi."

Andy McLaughlin of Fasthosts added, "The premium list set by the registry is designed to deter most cyber squatters and ultimately help companies."