The new top-level domain will offer firms’ contact details

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann) this month approved a .tel domain in the same meeting in which it turned down proposals for .xxx. The .tel domain is aimed at firms wishing to make their contact details readily available and is expected to go live in 2007.

Control of the domain will be administered by UK firm Telnic, which is already inviting interested parties to register for information on key dates and other details for the launch.

As with the launch of all other top-level domains, a sunrise period will give trademark and copyright holders the opportunity to register sites first. This will be followed by a first-come, first-served “landrush” period.

Telnic said the new .tel domain would provide a unifying naming structure for fixed and mobile telecoms. This means users will be able to type in a business name – for example, IT Week – followed by the .tel domain, to link to a site containing all IT Week’s contact details.

Individuals could also register .tel sites to publish their contact details, and perhaps offer the ability to dial directly to them using voice over IP (VoIP), said Telnic.

Telnic added that businesses might design a site to identify where customers come from and link them to an appropriate call centre, for example. It added that this “enhances the customer experience and provides the most efficient and cost-effective solution for [firms]”.