Is it worth buying .co.uk domains anymore?

[julian]

With .wales etc on the cards are we saying .uk inevitable sometime soon.

Does anyone know Nominets long term position on this?

 

[sdsinc]

I thought Nominet were already supporting .cymru and .wales ? Don't have a source handy.

I guess .co.uk domain holders will have to opportunity to port their names to .gb, .eng or whatever... better than nothing

 

[tifosi]

We had all this around 2007 when someone on some committee at Nominet Towers put it on a proposal for discussion.

Lets say it was the among the fastest shoot-downs in history!

With .uk at 11-12M and counting it's just beyond not feasible. The structure of .uk is now fixed - not just the personal & business sites rely on it but institutions & government.

New gTlds & ccTlds, yes, but .uk. No, don't think so. Who would have the right to them first?

 

[Edwin]

The only way .uk would work is if .co.uk owners get first dibs (not necessarily "free of charge" but "free of impediment"). On the whole, they're the ones spending umpteen billions a year effectively branding .co.uk every time they advertise their URLs (and the ones with armies of in-house lawyers on staff ready to pounce if it doesn't work out that way) and I'm sure Nominet must be extremely conscious of that...

 

[DomainM]

Why would Nominets remove the .co.uk/.org.uk/.me.uk ccTlds. Maybe they'll introduce .uk but I can't seem them removing existing domain Tlds.

Is it more likely that they'll introduce .co.wales given the success experienced with .co.uk?

 

[tifosi]

Why would Nominets remove the .co.uk/.org.uk/.me.uk ccTlds. Maybe they'll introduce .uk but I can't seem them removing existing domain Tlds.

Is it more likely that they'll introduce .co.wales given the success experienced with .co.uk?

I doubt it. .cymru and .wales will be just that. As standalone top-level ccTlds.

And I doubt they'll - and hope they don't -introduce just .uk. The confusion to the brand would be incalculable! It would be an exercise in futility and cost far more than it would make.. probably just in legal costs to defend against all the businesses suing for expenses for company rebranding!

 

[noonoo1]

If they did introduce .uk I'm sure there would be grandfather rights offered.
Just like .xxx wants to do with .sex .adult .porn

I'm hoping Afilias applied for .m and offer grandfather rights for .mobi

 

[Blossom]

Is it more likely that they'll introduce .co.wales given the success experienced with .co.uk?

That is a crazy long extension. To be honest .wales on its own is a bit long for my liking (I know it's the same number of characters as .co.uk, but I don't particularly like that either!).

I doubt it. .cymru and .wales will be just that. As standalone top-level ccTlds.

Will anyone buy them apart from a few Welsh nationalists? I can't see what uses they have outside of tourism and those campaigns to make Wales independent.

It would be an exercise in futility and cost far more than it would make.. probably just in legal costs to defend against all the businesses suing for expenses for company rebranding! :smile:

Surely it's down to companies whether or not to rebrand? A simple redirect would be enough wouldn't it?

 

[noonoo1]

As far as I'm aware. It's the welsh gov that is applying for .cymru and .wales
It will be these people handing /selling/leasing these names to city/towns something like Swansea.wales
Caerdydd.cymru
Etc

 

[solaris]

Too bad cayman islands got .cym.

There is a .eng campaign it seems [URL="http://www.doteng.org]doteng.org[/URL]

 

[websaway]

With .wales etc on the cards are we saying .uk inevitable sometime soon.

Does anyone know Nominets long term position on this?

Am I missing something Wales is the UK. Can you elaborate.

 

[rob]

Money where your mouth is Jules

List up your names with prices!

 

[anthony]

The only way .uk would work is if .co.uk owners get first dibs...

That's not true, it sounds more like protecting your existing portfolio from dilution. I can understand that, but we all know .uk can work in its own right.

The only rights Nominet should consider should be based on the same criteria as the LL release, other than that, the fcfs approach should apply.

 

[namealot]

If nominet were to bring out a “uk, wales, scots etc " prefix they may have to offer some sort of “rights” although did they with org.uk etc there only a self appointed company running one part the “co.uk” there is nothing to say they’ d even be involved? Great Britain ,United Kingdom, England, Scotland, Wales etc will probably all have there own eventually…,

It would be interesting to see if any new extensions had to be registered in the native tounges with them trying to implement the “Welsh language law” they’d make bloody long business cards...

 

[Edwin]

That's not true, it sounds more like protecting your existing portfolio from dilution. I can understand that, but we all know .uk can work in its own right.

The only rights Nominet should consider should be based on the same criteria as the LL release, other than that, the fcfs approach should apply.

Nonsense - it's not about me (yes I would be affected, but I have ZERO control over the process). However, think of all the mega-brands that use .co.uk at the moment. Do you REALLY think their teams of in-house lawyers will sit idly by if Nominet hands the .uk of "their" brand (that they have spent countless millions promoting over the years) to just anyone? That's the great/terrible thing about having lawyers on the payroll: it costs nothing (apart from the opportunity cost of not having their time to dedicate to a different case) for them to initiate as many actions as they like. And while Nominet happily runs at a surplus, that would vanish like snow in the sunshine if they faced a wave of lawsuits.

 

[julian]

I'm concered about buying.

Spending a few quid on reg fee .org.uk is one thing but spending 20k on a .co.uk, to build a website, brand and business around and then a year down the line not being able to get ones hands on the .UK could be annoying.. :grin:

take the recent wish/co/uk topic. They're not really bothered about owning the .com so should owning the .UK be an issue either as people tend to find something when they really want it anyway - I suppose being the control freak I am its a 'nice to have'.

Money where your mouth is Jules

List up your names with prices!

 

[rob]

I see no prices nor names

 

[anthony]

Nonsense - it's not about me (yes I would be affected, but I have ZERO control over the process). However, think of all the mega-brands that use .co.uk at the moment. Do you REALLY think their teams of in-house lawyers will sit idly by if Nominet hands the .uk of "their" brand (that they have spent countless millions promoting over the years) to just anyone?...

But you didn't say that first time around. Legitimate brand owners would be covered by what I suggested, the fact that they then get hold of the .uk by an approved method doesn't need to affect them at all, they can simply park the new extension and continue to use the .co.uk!

I can see why generic holders including domainers should flap, but why should they get any special treatment by your blanket 'first dibs' approach? That's business!

...And while Nominet happily runs at a surplus, that would vanish like snow in the sunshine if they faced a wave of lawsuits.

Come on, we all know they wouldn't face any lawsuits, the disposal method would be tight enough to ensure of that. Their surplus would probably grow because they'd be mad not to come up with a method of auctioning the cream of the crop for the charity, much like the LL boot sale.

 

[solaris]

How was this issue handled with .com.co and .co.in ?

Also is there a new extension planned for Northern Ireland? .noir could be kind of cool.

 

[Blossom]

Also is there a new extension planned for Northern Ireland? .noir could be kind of cool.

I would love them to take over .ni and make the top level available so I could get jen.ni. That would make my life, because I'm easily pleased