The new
.TEL domain extension is available for general registration from March 24th, 2009 and a lot of you may wonder what this new address stands for. While .COM, .NET, .ORG and the country extensions are meant for general websites, the .TEL domain is completely different:
"The .TEL allows you to store, publish and update online all your contact information and keywords under your unique domain name, without the need for a website."
What does this mean?First of all,
you cannot use a .TEL domain for a regular website but only for managing contact data and related keywords. After you registered a .TEL domain you'll get access to the so-called .TEL hosting service at
tel.iwantmyname.com. There you can enter all your contact details like address, phone number, web site, Skype username, Twitter profile etc. Could you do this in an old-school phone book? Of course not. A .TEL is basically an entry in an internet phonebook or better address book that can be updated in real-time. So wherever you are, be it on a business trip or on vacation: You can change the details at any time and people have instant access to your address details at your current location. You don't want everybody on the internet having access to this data? No worries. Visitors of your .TEL domain can contact you and ask for permission to see your details. You are only exposing to the world what you really want to share.
No website required?That's correct. Whether you are an individual, small business owner, consultant or startup. You don't need a website developed for your .TEL domain. It is already included in your domain name registration! A perfect way to get a quick website or business profile with all contact information up and running. Furthermore it offers a single entry point for all ways to contact you.
Can I be found in search engines?
Yes, you can. You have the possibility to add keywords to your domain name in order to be found in search engines like Google. Have you ever wondered why your company name does not show up in Google? A .TEL might be the solution. Get YourCompanyName.TEL and add industry-specific keywords to it and visitors can contact you immediately when found through a search engine. No need to spend money for search engine optimisation (SEO) for a .TEL domain.
There's a lot more that .TEL domains offer from a technical perspective. As all information is stored in the Domain Name System (DNS) it is extremely easy for external services to access this data. We expect to see many applications from Telcos or on mobile phones that start using this new extension to complement their address book software in the near future.
.TEL is managed by registry Telnic, based in London, UK. Further information can be found on the
Telnic website, in their "
Top 10 reasons to buy your .TEL domain" and CNET Asia's "
10 things you didn't know about .TEL domains".
We have also published two videos on our
ideegeo Youtube channel that explain
.TEL for businesses and
individuals in more detail. To register a domain please proceed to our homepage and
enter your desired .TEL name in the search box.
