DUBLIN - Mobile Top Level Domain (mTLD), the registry for dotmobi (.mobi) domain, announced on February 12 the rollout plan for the new mobile-friendly dotmobi domain name. Dotmobi provides the world’s first domain name optimized for consumers using the Internet on a mobile device.
The rollout will commence with the “Sunrise Registration Period” for trademark holders in June 2006, followed by the “General Registration” in September. mTLD is working closely with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), registrars, copyright bodies and site owners to ensure that trademarks are properly protected during the Sunrise Period.
The Sunrise Period will be unique in this case as mTLD plans to offer the mobile industry a week long advance period to register their trade and service marks at the end of May. This week long period is referred to as the “Limited Industry Sunrise.”
Leading mobile industry associations such as the GSM Association (one of mTLD’s founding investors), Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association (CTIA) and the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) among others have lined up to support the dotmobi sunrise for their membership.
Neil Edwards, General Manager of mTLD, said, “Dotmobi is the first domain name to garner real support from some of the world’s leading mobile players and associations. We hope to accelerate the number of mobile-friendly websites available to consumers on the Internet in 2006 by inviting companies to register their trade and service marks in the dotmobi domain.”
After the Limited Industry Sunrise, all companies will be able to register their trade- and service-mark names as a second level dotmobi (e.g., myname.mobi) domain name from June to August 2006. Dotmobi will then be available for registration by the general public in September 2006. Companies and individuals who want to register can get their dotmobi domain names through the participating Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) accredited registrars.