The Launch of Jordan's Arabic .alordon TLD Announced at the MENA ICT Forum 2010

AMMAN - The National Information Technology Center (NITC) has announced the launch of Jordan's Arabic top-level domain at the MENA ICT Forum 2010. A ceremony attended by the Minister of Communications and Information Technology Marwan Juma, the Regional Director of ICANN to the Middle East Baher Esmat, NITC's Director General Dr. Nabeel Al-Fayoumi, and others will inaugurate the commencement of the top-level domain, according to ag-IP-news Agency.

At the launch, Baher Esmat commented on Jordan's new Arabic top-level domain: "The face of the internet has been drastically changing as a result of International Domain Names (IDNs). It is now bringing communities closer to internet technologies as a result of more accessible international with familiar languages. Our launches of domains in other countries in the region such as Egypt and the UAE have proved highly successful, and Jordan will continue this momentum."

Dr. Nabil Al-Fayoumi had the following to say: "Jordan's current Internet penetration rates currently run at 30%, and with the introduction of (.alordon), we hope that these numbers will reach to an impressive 50% by the beginning of 2012 since we will be reaching new audiences that have been hindered from using the Internet. This new step for Jordan will be breaking language barriers and opening new opportunities for internet users."

Marwan Jumaa also commented on the significance of this launch:
"The decision to widen the language scope of the internet will have a landmark impact on how the Internet will be received not only in Jordan but around the world. This comes at a critical time when expanding the language of the Internet is vital to its growth and reception to all users."

Widely considered as one of the Region's foremost Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Information and Communications Technology Enabled Services (ICTES) industry events, the biennial MENA ICT Forum 2010 will be held in Jordan under the Patronage of His Majesty King Abdullah II, on October 10 and 11, 2010 at the Business Park in Amman. The Forum will present several keynote and panel speakers, who together with attendees, will tackle the MENA Region's most pertinent and pressing ICT concerns of today through a number of specialized sessions.

The efforts to launch the top-level domain came as a result of the need to develop a means to further encourage the use of the Internet and increase the dissemination of it to local communities. Research has indicated that 80% of Internet users do not know English - the prevailing language of the world and the Internet, while 80% of Internet content is in English.

Jordan has been keen to increase the penetration of the Internet through the bridging of all gaps that prevent inaccessibility. NITC recognized the need to submit a formal request to reserve a top-level domain under the name (.alordon). Facilities for all the required procedures were completed on 9/12/2009. The efforts of NITC culminated in the award of ICANN to approve the proposed top-level domain (.alordon) in Arabic on the Internet.

After strenuous efforts, the delegation of (.alordon) was initiated on 20/08/2010. After the launch, registration will be open to government institutes and ministries, diplomatic missions, and Trademarks for a period of time, punctuated by a period of registration closure, and then is open for anyone who is interested in the Arab Jordanian domain name under (.alordon).