Get .ME Now! .ME Landrush Underway

The .me landrush is now underway with allegations a number of organisations are hoarding domain names. One proponent is Apple who has applied for a number of names. The landrush began last Friday and runs for 20 days. Anyone can participate and apply for the .me domain name they want.

A news release announcing the landrush is below.

Now is the Time for .ME –– Landrush Underway
The .ME Registry Landrush is underway, which means for the first time anyone can apply for names with the new .ME domain name extension. The Landrush process began Friday and is a 20-day period in which the public can “put a stake in the ground” for .ME names they want to register.

The registry has been accepting .ME applications since May for trademark registrations.

“We’ve seen tremendous interest in .ME from every corner of the globe,” said Predrag Lesic, the registry’s executive director. “The .ME extension clearly offers opportunities to develop catchy phrases and add personality to your Web presence – including personal sites as well as business applications associated with products, brands and services. Now is the time to get in on the ground floor with a great name.”

More than 70 registrars from all over the world are already offering .ME registration. Open Registration is slated for July 17, initiating on a first-come, first-served basis. Two-year minimums are required on all .ME domain names registered during the Landrush and initial Open Registration periods. Landrush domain names receiving more than one application will go to an auction process.

.ME schedule:
June 6 to June 26: Landrush. This is the first opportunity for the public at large to apply. Anyone who doesn’t have a trademark, but is interested in a specific .ME domain, can apply during this period. This is also when Sunrise challenges commence.
June 26 to July 15: Quiet Period. During this time, the registry is closed to registrars. Names for which there was only one application during the Landrush Period are allocated. Landrush auctions will begin for names that received multiple applications.
July 17: Open Registration. Domain names are registered on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information, or to apply to be a .ME Registrar, visit: www.Domain.ME.

About the .ME Registry:

.ME Registry (the d.b.a of doMEn, d.o.o.) was chosen by the government of Montenegro to operate the new .ME domain name extension. The domain extension will be available to the general public worldwide in mid-July. .ME Registry partners include ME-net, GoDaddy.com and Afilias Limited. Me-Net is located in Montenegro and its principals have been leaders in the ICT sector in Montenegro, including the privatization of its largest ISP. GoDaddy.com is located in the USA and is the world’s largest domain name registrar and the largest paid hostname provider in the world, according to Netcraft Ltd. Afilias Limited is headquartered in Ireland and is a leading registry services provider, supporting more than 13 million domains worldwide.