Which: .TEL or .CONTACT new gTLD?

I own a certain number of .TEL domain names (ie: registries.tel) because of the precision they offer. I consider that they are a right choice to point someone to a place where they could find your phone number and other contact details or directions. The pages offered by .TEL are basic and go straight to the point: the info is found in zero click.

Many registrants just received an email explaining that this is going to change and it is going to be possible to set up DNS to point .TEL domains to other kind of contents but the one offered by the .TEL platform: and after all, why not?

If I understand this move by the registry, probably because registration volumes are decreasing, I believe that opening these domains to other kind of uses could save the registry from declining. It is possible too that the strategy is to focus more on domain name investors: not to forget that some .tel domains are now old and using them for SEO might be of interest.

So where's the "but"?
I believe the "but" comes from the approaching .CONTACT new gTLD. I think it makes sense for readers of  website to find a place which offers how to contact a company and .TEL had succeeded in offering this "one page" place where a reader could find all contact options. This was innovation to me and it still is.

Three questions that I have:

1. Question 1: would someone want to call me on the telephone (the meaning of "tel")? or would someone want to find a way to contact me by telephone, send me an email or Skype me (the meaning of "contact")? Thinking twice, I think that ".contact" is more more appropriate for that job.
2. Question 2: is a complete website needed for  a ".contact" or a ".tel" website? I wouldn't build a website using such domain names: one single page would be enough and...I found the .TEL platform was already very good at offering this service (even if I found that it required too many clicks to add a link). I will migrate my .TEL domains to the new platform offered by the registry but I won't create websites for one reason: a website has to be hosted and the .TEL platform is already providing this. I won't change something that is already offering me satisfaction.
3. Question 3: isn't the .CONTACT new gTLD offer the exact same as the .TEL one? We don't know if innovation is coming with the .CONTACT new gTLD - unless that sentence on front page which says: "A platform for hosting contact sites. Conversations have never been so easy." There are two keywords here: "platform" and "conversations" - but it seems to be the case. We don't know yet if adoption will be met on a new concept but if it is, I'd say that .TEL has a problem because the registry who finds how to attract consumers offering added value with a domain name purchase, is not known yet in the history of Internet.
   The two word on the .CONTACT registry's front page seem to say it all: this is going to be an innovation and I can't wait to see what's coming.

As I wrote it above, I understand the position of the .TEL Registry to "do something" and change things if registrants stop renew their .TEL domain name. Unfortunately, if an innovation is coming with the .CONTACT new gTLD - which I already find quite attractive for companies - it is possible that it does not save the .TEL Registry. There were other things to do but to drop this TLD in the new gTLD arena. I hope domain name investors participate in saving .TEL because it is the only way that I see for this registry to survive.

The .FUN Sunrise Period starts but...

The Trademark Clearinghouse is launching the .FUN Sunrise Period today:

• STARTS: Monday, 23 January, 2017;
• ENDS: Friday, 24 March, 2017.

There were three applicants for the .FUN new gTLD.

An interesting thing to know for future registrant of a ".fun" domain name is that there is a similar domain name extension: the .FUND new gTLD.

If I would not really worry about securing a similar ".fund" domain name as the registrant of a ".fun", I would certainly secure a ".fun" if I already owned of a ".fund". If the chance to add a "d" hitting a ".fun" domain name is very low, the chance to forget the letter "d" when entering "fund" is much higher.

I have no idea how much it is going to cost to register a ".fun" domain name but if the price is low, the 8,600+ owners of a ".fund" domain name might consider participating in the .FUN Sunrise Period...if they have a trademark registered.

.BRAND new gTLDs: vive la France

200 .BRAND new gTLD applications.

It is the recent number I was given by a major law firm in regard to the number of French companies which could be interested in acquiring their own new domain name extension. Of course, this does not mean that 200 french companies will apply but it gives an idea of how many more people are interested in understanding what it takes and what they could do with their .BRAND new gTLD.

For this reason, and also because Jovenet Consulting is a French company based in Paris, our website was translated into French. A few things like the page listing our publications in French and English are missing but these will be added in a close future. We appreciate your feedback on content and possible small mistakes.

What you missed in our previous Newsletters:

• Largest multiple Registry changes CEO;
• .SKI new gTLD : our legacy;
• The biggest .BRAND has 50,000 domains...but are they legit?
• Is the future of new gTLDs in India?
• .RADIO set for November launch, weird tiered pricing;
• New Sunrise Period: .FUN - Monday, 23 January, 2017 (details);
• Are you a member of the .ART world?
• Why might .brand TLDs be so important;
• Webinar: .BRAND new gTLDs (Tuesday, February 28, 2017);
• New York to auction 24 fashion .NYC domains;
• To Rightside: what are your thoughts on the new TLDs?
• Amazon, for example, posts holiday ads to amazon.BLACKFRIDAY
• Oracle launched https://go.java/
• New registry website for .RADIO
• The Future of new gTLDs (podcast);
• SEO : Play the Domain Name Game;
• HOT - Event Information: New gTLDs: the 2017 Update;
• Chinese Email Address and new gTLDs;
• Did you read that old post from the ICANN?

New gTLDs at Namescon

NamesCon is a conference dedicated to domaining: how to sell domain names, how to buy domain names...and of course, new domain names from the ICANN new gTLD program are a subject today. Let's not forget that the objective of registries, registrars and domain name investors is to sell domain names.

The interesting thing about this kind of conferences is that they tend to become more and more popular and the image domain name investors had in the past is changing today. Let's be honest: how were domainers considered before the launching of new gTLDs? ;-)

With the arrival of new gTLDs, I feel these conferences generate more interest. The example I like to use here is the presence of "institutions" from the new gTLD business in these conferences. Did you expect so see the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (the ICANN) to attend and talk at these conferences? It is a reality today.

Another sign that investing in domain names is becoming natural is the presence of major players from the industry: registries get to these conferences to promote strong added value domain names called "Premium" domains. Even backend registries attend to explain how to invest in new gTLDs. Did you notice: the speech is evolving from investing in domain names to...investing in new domain name extensions!

Conferences I would attend on the NamesCon 2017 Agenda:

1. Monday, January 23rd:
1. Investing in New TLDs - Making Money in the Short and Long Term, 2:00pm - 2:45pm.
   Join Rightside and a panel of industry experts to discuss strategies for investing in gTLDs and where they see the opportunities are going forward.
2. Tuesday, January 24th:
1. Five Facts that Will Change the Domain Game in 2017, 11:00am - 11:45am.
   24 days have already gone through in 2017 – but the new Domain year will bring five significant changes. In this session two true experts will explain what awaits you in 2017.
2. China Masterclass, 12:00pm - 12:45pm.
   No one can deny that China made a huge impact on the domain industry in the last two years. A panel of industry experts will discuss the latest changes to this enormous and complex market and help us understand the important differences between the Chinese and 'Western' world of domains.
3. HOT - Will Branded TLDs Impact the Marketplace in 2017 and Beyond? 2:00pm - 2:45pm.
   In 2016 we saw the initial roll out of the strategies for many of the world’s largest companies using their .brand Top Level Domains. Why are these companies doing this and what is the value proposition in moving away from the well-known .com digital footprints? Is this just a fad or are we witnessing a change to domain name branding for the future?
3. Wednesday, January 25th:
1. DNS Industry SWOT Analysis, 2017 Edition, 9:30am - 9:55am.
   Scaling the Internet’s TLD space from 22 top-level domains to hundreds, and one day potentially thousands is a game-changer on many levels. Akram Atallah, President of ICANN’s Global Domains Division, will sit with Christian Dawson, Executive Director of i2Coalition, to discuss developments within the evolving DNS industry including strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
2. India Masterclass, 11:00am - 11:45am.
   While India has a low internet penetration rate of 19% it is close to replacing the US as the 2nd largest market with almost 300 million internet users. With more than 50 million new users per year, India cannot be ignored. Find out what makes this unique nation tick.
3. A Look Ahead at New TLDs, 11:00am - 11:45am.
Look forward and anticipate the prosperity and growth of TLDs for existing and future launches. Utilizing experiences and insight from current cases into the next round and beyond.

What you missed in our previous Newsletters:

1. Just announced: the .VUELOS new gTLD. Check latest announcements from the TMCH;
2. INTA Impact Study on Costs of New gTLDs (Reserved to INTA corporate members);
3. 2017 the .RADIO launch year!
4. NewG talk #21: how are NewG domain names being developed into websites?
5. HOT - Regulating Online Content through the Internet Architecture: The Case of ICANN’s new gTLDs;
6. Most wanted new gTLD in 2017:
1. Instead of .com users will choose .web;
2. Spartans, what is your profession?
3. Countries, Cities & Places;
4. How it’s done.
7. The TMCH just announced:
1. The .ECO Sunrise Period;
2. The .BROADWAY Sunrise Period.
8. DotBrand thinking for 2017;
9. To Uniregistry: your thoughts on new gTLDs?
10. .BRAND new gTLDs: release of Country and Territory Names;
11. Analyzing new top level domain registrations by country (Part 2).

New gTLDs & Universal Acceptance

The Universal Acceptance working group at ICANN deals with new gTLD recognition.

The purpose of this group is (according to my understanding) to spread the word that the technical side of some companies and administrations need to do adjustments to be able to read new domain name extensions. Many French administrations, for example, just reject emails because they are not yet ready to receive emails with a new ending such as ".consulting" or ".photos". This is a common problem and the Universal Acceptance working group is there to discuss such questions and provide solutions. It is also offered to participate in this absolutely not exciting debate.

What is the Universal Acceptance?
Sometimes, you send an email and...it is rejected by the server receiving the email. The reason of this is that the "machine" does not recognize an email with a domain name extension ending in ".email", instead of ".com".

The same happens with some forms, when you fill in the URL (website) field and a message tells you that there is an error when you try to submit the form.

With the development of new gTLDs, these developments are becoming a necessity, and the UA working group offers its help to solve technical problems of this kind.

I just noticed that their website offers a quick guide, translated in most languages (even in French) so I strongly suggest a download.