DUBLIN, Ireland—Those waiting anxiously for a .mobi domain needn’t wait any longer.
The company behind the controversial, mobile-exclusive top-level domain opened registration today, allowing the general public to register wireless Internet sites with the suffix. Mobile Top Level Domain Ltd., which manages the domain, hopes wireless-specific URLs will boost uptake of the mobile Internet by assuring users that sites are specially formatted for cell phones.
“In the past, using the Internet on a mobile device presented huge obstacles for the consumer,” said Neil Edwards, chief executive officer of the firm. “We’re creating a link between mobile operators, Internet content providers and the millions of mobile users seeking a consistent, reliable and enjoyable Internet experience.”
It remains unclear whether such a top-level domain is necessary, however. Many modern Internet content providers use servers that can detect the type of device accessing content and then format pages accordingly—meaning that one URL can work on both PCs and phones.
Also, developers such as Opera Software ASA and Novarra Inc. offer mobile browsers that automatically format Internet content for mobile phones, and Google Inc. and others provide transcoding technology that effectively customizes Web sites for wireless use.
MTLD last month began to auction off thousands of “premium” domain names, releasing a 149-page document of names covering everything from types of sports to gambling to, of course, pornography. And the company has already issued a list of names reserved for high-profile media companies and other brands.
The efforts have been described as a “money grab” by opponents of the new domain, who claim wireless-specific names will serve only to confuse users.
“Mobile is not a niche; it is the Internet,” according to Anil Malhotra, vice president of Bango, which provides technology to off-deck content providers. “Smart site designers will ensure that their valuable dot com, dot org, or dot.co.uk domains render correctly on mobile first and foremost.”
MTLD is well-positioned to prosper regardless of the success of the new domains, however. The company has already sold names to big-budget clients looking to hedge their bets, and the auction is likely to draw plenty of attention from content providers willing to pay a premium for a sought-after mobile URL.
