Thursday, June 14, 2012

.JPMorgan, .Walmart, .Cialis Sought In Domain Expansion




Attention Luddites!  According to Bloomberg JPMorgan Chase, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., and Microsoft Corp. are applying for Web suffixes including .jpmorgan, .walmart, and .microsoft under a program to expand the number of Internet domain names beyond .com.

Other proposals include .apple from Apple  and .cialis from Eli Lilly & Co. (LLY) as well as generic terms such as .book and .love, according to a list published today by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, the nonprofit Web- management group overseeing the expansion of suffixes.  The list of 1,930 applications, which had been kept secret, provides a first look at potential rivals to .com and the level of company interest in the suffixes. Icann says the program may result in hundreds more extensions to the right of the dot.

“It is our fundamental obligation to increase competition and consumer choice, and to foster innovation, and this program delivers on that,” Icann Chief Executive Officer Rod Beckstrom said at a news conference in London. Critics including the Association of National Advertisers say many companies that have no interest in domain names face pressure to apply to prevent their branding from falling into the wrong hands. Each application cost $185,000…….


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