The Netherlands Internet Domain Registration Foundation wants to try to offer cities and regions their own top-level domain. SIDN will work with a commercial party to arrange applications for TLDs for municipalities, cities and companies if the Icann allows this again.
SIDN says that in the near future it will be possible to create a TLD for a city, region or business online. SIDN expects that possible from 2024 becomes. SIDN already has experience with such local domain extensions with .frl for Frisian domains and the .amsterdam domain, but wants to make it easier for other cities and regions to apply for a .tilburg or .brabant domain, for example.
SIDN is therefore preparing for a new period in which the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) will again allow new TLDs. The Icann is the authority that allows TLDs, but the organization works with windows in which a request for a domain can be made. Such a window will open again this year, making it possible to apply for new TLDs.
SIDN wants to make use of this window by preparing companies for an application now. To this end, the foundation works together with Dotlocal, a commercial company that was also involved in the .frl domain. Municipalities, regions and cities that are interested in such a TLD can apply for it before August 1 of this year. Companies can also register for their own domain. SIDN cites .klm as an example.
