Web domains face major overhaul

Accra , Jan 12, GNA - Beginning today Thursday, it is be possible to register almost any word as a web address suffix so that familiar endings such as .com and .org could potentially be joined by the likes of .pepsi, .virgin, or .itv.

ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Number), the organization which regulates domain names, says the change would increase choice and competition but hints are controversial proposals.

Applications have therefore been opened for new generic Top Level Domains (gTLD), but the US Federal Trade Commission had warned the expansion of the gTLD had the potential to magnify abuse of the domain name system and the corresponding challenges of tracking internet fraudsters.

Peter Dengate Thrush, a former Chairman of the ICANN’s Board of Directors, told the BBC that the changes were necessary.

"It’s badly in need of overhaul,” Dengate Thrush, now Chairman of the Top Level Domains Holdings, a company developing registering services for top level domains, said.

Registering a new custom top level domain name will cost approximately $185,000.

The cost has led to concern among some non profit organizations that they will have to spend considerable sums defending themselves from cyber squatters.

Companies advising on the registrations say in spite of the cost there had been significant interest in applying for the new gTLDs before the deadline for applications closes in April this year.