If you want to own your own dot *you*, like .car, .pepsi or .phil (instead of having to use.com) your chance is around the corner. Icann, the important people who control domains, are extending the suffixes used for web addresses beyond the current .com, .edu, .net etc. Here’s how it will work:
- Submit your application to Icann by between Jan-12 2012 and Apr-12 20212 (you’ll have to wait to 2015 if you miss this one).
- Keep your fingers crossed that you make it through the approval obstacle course e.g. In the “initial evaluation” they want to know you have enough cash to run the suffix each year – around $180k/yr, you are not a security risk and there are no ligit objections filed by others (no you cant apply to own .facebook).
- And it goes on. You can download the Applicant Guide Book here
“Applying will set you back $185,000, and it doesn’t stop there, says Melbourne IT DBS’s Tim Callan: “Your corner mom-and-pop shop, this is not right for them.”A good estimate is it will cost between $150,000 – $200,000 a year to run [a gTLD]. So costly yes, compared to your and my wallets, but for the companies we’re talking about – trivial.” – BBC website
You can really get your teeth sunk into the application process by visiting Icann’s website – here you go
