Durban is set to get an exclusive Internet namespace, dotDurban after having passed the initial evaluation phase of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). ZADNA (the .ZA Domain Name Authority) explains that in the initial evaluation phase, ICANN determines if the applicant possesses the required financial and technical ability to operate an Internet TLD (Top Level Domain).
The dotDurban TLD project is one of the recent collaboration efforts between ZADNA, ZA Central Registry (ZACR) and the Department of Communications (DOC). Other collaborations include the dotCapeTown and dotJoburg TLDs. All the three TLDs are expected to be launched by the end of 2013. Funding comes from ZACR using revenue generated over time from co.za operations and other investments.
Names of provincial and national governments as well as those of national heritage will be reserved for the rightful intellectual property owners in the three TLDs. Thereafter, the general public will register names on first-come, first-served basis.
“The three applications are a solid contribution to reinvest revenue generated from co.za into protecting South Africa’s interests. This is especially important at a time when ICANN is opening up the Internet massively beyond dotCom, dotNet and dotOrg. We applied for the three cities because we saw a firm trend where leading international cities are planning to secure their exclusive namespaces,” says ZADNA Chairperson, Gajjar.
The three TLDs are intended to complement the .ZA namespace. Businesses and people identifying with the three cities will be able to register URLs carrying their cities’ names. Metro municipalities will be given the priority to register the names of their entities and programs with some of the URLs expected being police.durban, rates.capetown and pikitup.joburg.
