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'Dot-Mobi' Domain Registry Now Open to PublicSep 27, 2006 Open registrations began this week for .mobi top level domain names -- a space on the Internet designed exclusively for sites catering to mobile phones and other wireless devices. Backers of the .mobi domain -- including tech giants such as Microsoft, Google, Vodafone, Ericsson, Samsung, T-Mobile, and Nokia -- are hoping the new registry will be treated as the mobile equivalent to the ubiquitous dot-com and will help focus attention on mobile-Internet innovations. "In the past, using the Internet on a mobile device presented huge obstacles for the consumer," said Neil Edwards, dotMobi CEO, in a statement. "We're creating a link between mobile operators, Internet content providers, and the millions of mobile users seeking a consistent, reliable, and enjoyable Internet experience." Starting with this week's .mobi "land rush" period, there are no restrictions on who may register a .mobi name. Until this point, trademark owners had exclusive access to the registry. Logical StepThe move to create a new domain formatted specifically for mobile devices is a logical reaction to a growing demand, analysts have said, especially given that there are four times as many mobile phone users in the world as there are Internet users. However, Charles Golden, a principal analyst with Forrester Research, indicated that he is not enthusiastic about the project and pointed out that everyone today already has excellent mobile access to Web sites. "There is plenty of good technology designed to divert users to the right format for their browser," he said. However, proponents of the .mobi domain insist formatting remains a significant problem because few Web pages are specifically designed to be accessed via mobile device, making viewing difficult on small phone or PDA screens. Rather than relying on slimmed-down versions of normal Web sites, proponents argue, the .mobi Internet will consist entirely of sites dedicated to viewing on small screens, which will make it easier for content providers to tailor their designs and for consumers to access that content. Creating a Revolution?EnCirca, the registrar for the .mobi domain name, expects to have registered several hundred thousand domains by the end of this year. The .mobi domains will cost approximately the same as other domain names. Golden noted that the tech heavyweights pushing the domain believe the change will usher in a new era in mobile computing. But he also said the effort faces huge hurdles, including the expenses associated with promoting the new domain. "This will make the experience somewhat better for users once they are trained to go to .mobi," Golden conceded. "But the main beneficiaries will be advertising and marketing firms that will help push the sites." Some 13,000 businesses signed up for a .mobi domain during the private registration period for trademark holders. Golden said most of those companies probably signed up merely to prevent cyber-squatting. |
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