ICANN approves .tel domains
David Miller, Marketing Manager, PSU IT Voice and Data Ltd.
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The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has approved the new top-level domain suffix ".tel".
ICANN's board of directors made the decision last Tuesday however the decision was drowned out by their rejection at the same meeting of the .xxx domain name. The .tel top-level domain is expected to go into effect in 2007.
A "honeymoon" period will allow public bodies and business trademark holders with prior rights to register their domains, after which it will be opened out to a wider audience. The .tel domain name will be available through registrars and resellers although pricing details have not as yet been released.
The .tel domain is envisaged as creating a universal text and navigation system for contact information over the internet. Mobile device users could communicate and access the services of organisations or individuals with .tel domain names. The new domain will aid migration to a communications network based on IP (Internet Protocol). The .tel domain will be a unified location to find contact information and foster converged fixed-line and wireless services.
As an example of potential use, someone trying to reach the Avis car rental service could type avis.tel on their mobile phone and be connected to a customer service representative for the local area. Private individuals could list contact information such as VoIP (voice over IP) dialing details or their instant messaging name.
