Dot-Asia domain applications to begin in October

Applications for domain names under the new .asia top-level domain will begin to be accepted from October, the nonprofit organization running the domain said Thursday.

A sunrise period that allows governments, trademark holders and other groups to apply for and reserve names they think they are entitled to will take place in three stages, DotAsia Organization said.

Sunrise 1 will cover addresses intended for use by governments for geographical and other government-related domain names. It will begin Oct. 9.

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Applications for domain names under the new .asia top-level domain will begin to be accepted from October, the nonprofit organization running the domain said Thursday.

A sunrise period that allows governments, trademark holders and other groups to apply for and reserve names they think they are entitled to will take place in three stages, DotAsia Organization said.

Sunrise 1 will cover addresses intended for use by governments for geographical and other government-related domain names. It will begin Oct. 9.

On the same day the first of three Sunrise 2 phases will begin, allowing holders of registered trademarks and service marks to register their respective domains. It will last until Oct. 30.

A further two Sunrise 2 phases, and the Sunrise 3 phase, which allows companies in the region to register their names, will all begin on Nov. 13 and run until Jan. 15, 2008.

All applications received during the period will be given the same priority. If more than one application is received for a particular name an online auction will be held for the name, the Hong Kong-based organization said.

A first-come, first-served model was rejected because of the "chaotic" situation that would likely follow when applications begin, DotAsia Organization said.

The IDG News Service is a Network World affiliate.