dotMobi Domain Release News

The dotMobi team arrived home from the ICANN Cairo meeting with a real jewel in their crown: after more than 5 months of sitting "in process," our application to ICANN for the release of single character domains on the second level has finally been approved by the ICANN Board. This paves the way for release of these domains (e.g.,  x.mobi, a.mobi, 1.mobi) via a Request for Proposals (RFP) process whereby content applications are sought from the market and evaluated by dotMobi on the basis of certain pre-defined criteria.

Single character domains are highly sought after in the domain world and work particularly well with the .mobi TLD since domain addresses requiring shorter keystrokes on handsets are extremely desirable. dotMobi is one of the first Registries to be allowed to release single character domains, and brand owners should be able to build and market their associated mobile presence in ways previously unimagined.

dotMobi has also just received the green light from ICANN to allocate its two character names on the second level (e.g.,  ab.mobi, g3.mobi, 44.mobi). As with the single character release, these domains will not be auctioned, rather issued via RFP to qualified applicants.

Both sets of domain releases -- each one due to commence shortly -- demonstrate dotMobi's continued commitment to secure quality, innovative content that best serves the needs of the mobile community.

Comments

[AZ]

Wondering if these domains worth 6 figures or just 3! :(

[Caroline Greer]

AZ,

These domain allocations are not a revenue generating project for dotMobi - the RFP process will be focused on content and the domains will only be allocated to those applicants who are serious about building and promoting their content and are not seeking to secure the domains only to sell them on thereafter.

Caroline.

[Steve Merrill]

Where will we find the official release date and information on how to offer an RFP for those names we would like to develop? With the new technologies coming out, there are so many doors opening for dotMobi domains it feels like 1993 all over again!

Working on the lucky 13th website right now. Keep up the good work. Everyone benefits.

Steve

[Caroline Greer]

Information regarding any names that will be allocated via a public RFP process will be posted on our web-site. No further information is available just yet as we are working to put all the details in place.

Thank you for your interest and happy developing!

[Hans]

desperate,
last nail in the coffin for the 'reserve-attractive-names-to-sell-for-profit-the-registar'

.mobi could have lived if it was admined by a less greedy registrar...

[Caroline Greer]

Dear Hans,

Thanks for your comment but it seems that you did not read the blog post or my earlier response fully. dotMobi (which is a registry by the way and not a registrar) will not be selling these domains at a premium price. We will be allocating the domains by RFP to those that commit to building and promoting content. dotMobi will not be making any profit whatsoever from this allocation process.

I hope that helps clarify. Thank you.

Caroline.

[Jeff]

Caroline,
Like the auctioned Premium Domains (some of which were original RFP domains), these one and two character Premium Domains also come with mandated development requirements, correct? We are aware that the development requirements deadline for the auctioned Premium Domains has been re-revised and again extended - resulting in few, if any, actual stand-alone developments to date IMHO. How can reasonable folks be assured that these one and two character Premium Domains will be fully developed websites (via a public RFP process by "those applicants who are serious about building") with unique and compelling content ... in a prompt and timely manner?
Thank you for the clarification.

[Mobi Site]

Great initiative
Who's next in offing?
after 24.mobi?

go on, tell!

btw, on a separate note, i see paris.mobi is having the rules broken by paris.fr, can mtld give them a rap across knuckles?
thanks
Guy

[Jeff]

mobile.paris.fr ?!?!

Caroline,
These one and two character Premium Domains ... also come with mandated development requirements, correct?
Thank you.

[Caroline Greer]

Correct Jeff. However, these domains are not Premium Names. They were Reserved Names, per our ICANN contract.

Each successful applicant signs a contract with dotMobi, binding that applicant to the specific content and marketing commitments made in the application. Each contract will be different.

Caroline.

[Jeff]

Thanks kindly Caroline,
The auctioned Premium Domains, though ... do have another RE-revised January '09 deadline that has since passed for their full development, correct?
Understanding that each contract may be different for these one and two character Reserved Domains, we will soon see fully compliant, stand-alone content/development of these referenced domains, as well? In other words, the intent is not having simple .COM redirects ... and for consistency with regard to the firm development mandates of the auctioned Premium Domains?
Thanks again for your prompt reply.
Jeff

[Caroline Greer]

Jeff,

The deadline for Batch 1 of the Premium Names was revised just once - to the January 2009 deadline. And that revision was made based on market feedback that the original 6 month timeframe was too short, particularly for those who had purchased multiple names.

You will soon see websites coming on-line for one and two character domains. Re-directs are not a big deal if it is the .mobi address that is being promoted. It is the advertisement that matters for long term adoption.

Caroline.

[Jeff]

Caroline,
Thank you for the kind clarification ... I look forward to seeing fully compliant, stand-alone developed websites with unique and compelling content for those that are "on the go" - both from the Premium Domains, as well as these one and two character Reserved Domains.
PS. I respectfully disagree with you regarding the simple "redirects" to .COM sites (and its impact on an developed .MOBI "ecosystem" and long-term adoption), IMHO.
See you soon and thanks for the professional assist!
Jeff

[Mobi]

Caroline,
could you answer my question about paris.mobi please?
was this an rfp domain?
why is it promoting mobile.paris.fr
be grateful if you could clear this up. thanks. btw mtld rocks with all the hard work they are doing lately. in particular the latest mobilizer development, the allocation of 1 and 2 character domains, and the latest video are all great. one thing you HAVE to do though is if you are giving these domains away free subject to useage, they have to have on the .mobi extension, vital for catalogueing in the search engines. advertising is fine, but theoretically the .mobi site won't actually exist for people to 'just come across', which is how most people find stuff. i can think of no reason why you wouldnt make this a requirement. its very often just laziness on part of the development team why they dont. also self serving developers. PLEASE take action on this, and also get back on this point. cheers

[Caroline Greer]

Guy,

Paris.mobi was an early allocation under the City Names process. The domain is subject to a contract between dotMobi and the official city authority.

Thanks,

Caroline.

[Jeff]

Caroline,
In that early allocation of 'Paris.mobi', was the contract for it to be yet another simple "redirect" - along with the promotion and indexing of mobile.paris.fr ?!?
Thank you for clearing up this matter.

What specific actions are mTLD taking with regard to ensuring fully compliant stand-alone development on both Premium and Reserved .MOBI websites - critical for search engine placement and SEO, as Guy mentions here (and that I've mentioned repeatedly - with regard to these firm development requriements / deadlines - on the balanced #1 Namepros .MOBI Forum™)?
Thank you, again.

[Caroline Greer]

Jeff,

dotMobi will take whatever action it feels is necessary, when necessary.

We are not about to go public on any individual discussions we may be having with Registrants or the details of any bilateral contracts.

I hope I have made myself very clear. Thank you for your understanding.

Caroline.

[Jeff]

"dotMobi will take whatever action it feels is necessary, when necessary."
Caroline,
Your very cautious and uncharacteristically terse response above opens up even more questions, in my view ... in fairness, I look forward to more candor and details with regard to both "Paris.mobi" in the context above, as well as seeing fully compliant, stand-alone developed .MOBI websites with unique and compelling content for those that are "on the go" - both from the Premium Domains, as well as the one and two character Reserved Domains, IMHO.
Regards.

[Mobi]

Caroline, from your response I am getting it that as an early contract was drawn up it could have been more thorough and crazily this stipulation wasn't made? Or it was made and they are flagrantly flouting the rules, and you may act on it? One of those two. Either way you aren't going to comment as this is a private contract? I respect that last point.
However what I won't respect is if the same mistake was made again, i.e 53.mobi , a nice move with the enduser allocation,but if you failed to make the domain resolve to .mobi then it wont get indexed as mentioned previously. If i was in charge someone would be seriously reprimanded and have a sideways move.
Also what won't be respected is if the holders of paris are sitting there unchecked and unchallenged when mcuh show was made of these alocations and other more deserving people were rebuffed in the first instance for other cities.
I think as a major investor in domains and the .mobi extension and mtld I, along with others are entitled to more graphic explanations and guarantees. Let it be said, I am a fan of mtld , and you have some great people. Also of late, you guys really are getting somewhere and are kicking some butt. I just wish you would really listen sometimes to your base supporters.
Thanks

Guy