Maltese ccTLD Adding Second Level Domains for .MT

nicMalta_logoNIC(Malta) is introducing second level .mt domain names as of 1 December, the registry announced

nicMalta_logoNIC(Malta) is introducing second level .mt domain names as of 1 December, the registry announced.

To facilitate the transition to the new system of registration, a Preferential Registration Period is being implemented. During this period, running between 1 December 2017 to 30 November 2020, special rights are given to existing registrants of .mt domain names.

During the Preferential Registration Period, existing registrants may additionally register their domain name directly under .mt for free. For example, the registrant of myname.com.mt may also register myname.mt at no additional charge for that period. Furthermore, NIC(Malta) is announcing a new fee structure that comes into effect as from 1 December 2020 that will see annual registration fees halved compared to current values.

Nic(Malta) gives the following main reasons for adopting the new policy:

  • More choice – Through the new policy NIC(Malta) will be offering more choice to existing and future registrants in the .mt namespace.
  • Simpler, shorter names – Domain names under .mt will no longer necessarily require an additional three-letter second level domain name, resulting in shorter and snappier names. The focus of the domain name can be on the registrant’s preferred branding.
  • Avoids inappropriate labelling – Some domain names do not quite fit within the existing hierarchical structure which categorises a domain name by commercial (.com.mt), non-profit (.org.mt), internet related service provider (.net.mt), educational (.edu.mt) and governmental (.gov.mt) organisation type. Thus, for example, individuals may register their personal domain names without any hindrance.
  • Follows similar changes in the wider Internet – Other countries have adopted similar changes to their policies, such as for example in the United Kingdom (.uk) and New Zealand (.nz). In addition, IANA has recently introduced a large number of generic top-level domain names which are bound to increase in the future. Therefore, this new policy has been implemented in order for the .mt domain to remain relevant in the evolving Internet.

The new policy has been approved by NIC(Malta) following a public consultation exercise last year. The feedback received from the public, industry players and interested parties showed that there is widespread agreement to introducing second level domain name registration under .mt.

The new Domain Name Registration Policy together with the corresponding Terms and Conditions for registering new domain names effective as from 1 December 2017 can be found at nic.org.mt, together with further information on how this change will impact existing and potential new holders of domain names registered under .mt.

An FAQ dealing with the changes in the Domain Name Registration Policy can be found at nic.org.mt/2LD/faq.

Registrations Of .EU Domains Continue To Grow Healthily

EURid logoThe total number of .eu registrations grew by 4.7 percent in the third quarter of 2014 compared with the same quarter last year, according to the progress report released last week by the .eu registry EURid

EURid logoThe total number of .eu registrations grew by 4.7 percent in the third quarter of 2014 compared with the same quarter last year, according to the progress report released last week by the .eu registry EURid.

The increase for the quarter was 50,132 domain names under management, a net increase of 1.3 percent to 3.88 million. This made .eu the eleventh largest TLD in the world. The largest was .com with 114.576 million registrations followed by .tk (Tokelau) with 26.785m, .de (Germany – 15.794m), .net (15.083m), .cn (China – 1–.907m), .uk (United Kingdom) – 10.514), .org (10.399), .info (5.591m), .nl (Netherlands – 5.506m), .ru (Russian Federation – 4.895m) while .br (Brazil – 3.493m) followed.

“As the new gTLDs continue jostle for position in the changing TLD landscape, our healthy growth rate has further underlined that .eu has a firm foothold in the domain name market,” commented EURid General Manager Marc Van Wesemael.

Indeed, .eu registrations increased in 24 of the 28 EU member states. Malta, Greece and Luxembourg each saw growth of more than 5 percent.

The countries in the top ten list account for 87.6 percent of all .eu registrations. German residents have by far the most .eu domain name registrations, followed by residents of the Netherlands and France.

Residents in the European Economic Area (EEA) countries of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway became eligible to register .eu domain names on 8 January 2014. At the end of the third quarter registrants in Norway had registered 5,685 names, in Iceland 177 and Liechtenstein 78.

The survey also found the Netherlands has the highest density of domains registered of any European country, with 328.2 .nl domains registered per 1,000 people. Denmark was next with 226.2 .dk domains per 1,000 people followed by Germany with 196.1, the United Kingdom with 164.5, Iceland with 154.4 .is domains per 1,000 and Luxembourg with 154.0 .lu domains per 1,000.

The countries with the highest densities of .eu domains were Malta with 35.7 per thousand followed by the Netherlands with 30.2 and Luxembourg with 28.7.

The third quarter also saw EURid launch its new registration system. EURid implemented the new system to increase performance and to better meet RFC standards and so provide an improved service to the .eu registrar community and consequently to .eu domain name holders.

The full report is available for download at link.eurid.eu/reports.