The Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) is in the midst of a public consultation http://idnconsultation.ca on the use of Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) in the .CA domain. Specifically, CIRA is proposing to support the use of French characters in .CA domain names.

After making an initial proposal and conducting an extensive consultation in 2011, CIRA has recently published a revised proposed policy. In a nutshell:

[...] CIRA is proposing the "bundling" of character variants. This means that the holder of a particular domain name would have the exclusive right to register all of the variants of that domain name, and that no one else could register any of those domains. For example, only the holder of preside.ca would have the option to register préside.ca, prèsïdë.ca, prësîdê.ca, etc. In addition, only the holder of the domain name préside.ca would have the option to register preside.ca. A Registrant could also choose to only register an IDN domain name (e.g. grâce.ca) and not the ASCII version (grace.ca). As all variants of the same domain name could only be registered by the same Registrant, in the event a transfer of a domain name takes place, whether voluntary or involuntary (e.g. as a result of a dispute), all variants of the same domain name would have to be transferred at the same time.

The revised policy ensures that the registrant holding the rights to the bundle of accented variants of a .CA domain name will be free to choose which, if any, variants to register and how to use them. It protects existing and new domain holders from possible exploitation of the IDN versions of .CA domain names, while imposing no required additional costs. It eliminates the need for any sort of start up process involving Sunrise/Landrush periods, deadlines, etc. to protect existing .CA domain holders. Also, CIRA is "planning a comprehensive communication and education plan, in order to ensure .CA holders will be aware of their option to register variants of their domain names, and to address concerns about how Internet users will be able to access French domain names."

Opening up the .CA domain to both of Canada's official languages is a worthwhile endeavor. The revised policy proposal is most welcome, and is a substantial improvement on the initial proposal.

What do you think of the revised policy? Please consider getting involved by making a formal submission or by participating in the online discussion. The consultation closes on Friday, February 24.

Today, January 12, 2012 marks the day ICANN (The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) starts accepting applications for new generic top-level domains (gTLDs).

This process has been heavily debated amongst the internet community at large as well as within the ICANN board but was approved by ICANN in 2011 at its meeting in Singapore.

The process is expected to dramatically expand the Internet with the current 22 approved gTLDs (such as .com, .org or recent .xxx) to hundreds or thousands of extensions which include all types of words in multiple languages including non-Latin languages.

ICANN is directing all interested parties to refer to the New gTLD section of ICANN's website for authoritative documents, resources, and latest developments. The New gTLD site is found at http://newgtlds.icann.org. The ICANN New gTLD page includes links to the TLD Application System (TAS) to submit applications and the updated version of the Applicant Guidebook which details the process and criteria for applying for a new gTLD. The updated version incorporates clarification on topics such as batching, background screening, the applicant support program, Continued Operations Instrument, GAC advice processes, and the registry code of conduct.

There is also information available for financial assistance for some applicants who qualify. Essentially applicants from developing economies have access to financial assistance in the form of an evaluation fee reduction and other in-kind or community pro bono services. The financial assistance part of the program will allow a limited number of applicants to pay a reduced evaluation fee of US $47,000 rather than the US $185,000 amount. More information about the New gTLD Applicant Support Program is available at: http://newgtlds.icann.org/en/applicants/candidate-support.


Key timelines:
March 29, 2012 - The last day to register in TAS
April 12, 2012 -  Final day ICANN accepts applications


For some background as to what the new gTLD expansion is about, please read our previous blog post on this topic: http://blog.webnames.ca/2011/06/shop-paris-the-domain-name-spa-1.html.

Now Accepting Sunrise B Applications. General Pre-Registration Coming Soon.

Eleven years after it was first proposed, the .XXX sTLD (sponsored Top Level Domain) is set to launch in September 2011. Webnames is participating in Sunrise B and General Registration to help facilitate the protection of trademarks, brands and primary domains in other extensions.

What is .XXX?

.XXX (commonly called "dot triple-X") is a sponsored, specialized top-level domain (sTLD) intended for use by Adult Entertainment Industry on the Internet. .XXX was designed to facilitate online responsibility and best practices for the global online Adult Entertainment Industry. The registry is operated by ICM and the sponsoring organization for .XXX is the International Foundation for Online Responsibility (IFFOR). [Read more]

Trademark owners, as well as the owners of non-trademarked names and brands should act soon to protect their assets and prevent the registration of their names by other parties. 



Acting early is important!
Pre-Registration orders for .XXX domains are submitted to the registry in the order they are received. The earlier you pre-register the .XXX domains, the better your chances of success.

Sunrise B for Trademark Owners Outside the Sponsored Community (Adult Entertainment Industry)

Now Accepting Applications - Apply Today

Application Fee: $349 (One-Time, Non Refundable) 

Names secured through Sunrise B will not result in the registration of a resolving domain name at the .XXX registry. Instead, these names will be reserved and blocked from live use. The applied for name will resolve to a page indicating that the name is reserved from use through ICM Registry's rights protection program. The "block" will be valid for a period of 10 years.

Read more information about Sunrise B

General Registration - First Come, First Served, Open to the Public

Pre-Registration Begins Monday, July 25

$129.00/year - Risk Free. Pay only for successful .XXX domain registrations.

General Availability is open to anyone who wishes to register domain(s) in the .XXX extension. It is a live first come, first serve registration period. Registrations will take place in real time. There are no requirements pertaining to trademarks or pre-existing domain names.

Note: Webnames.ca is supporting General Registration with the aim to helping our customers protect their existing assets (non-trademarked names and brands). .XXX domains registered at Webnames.ca will not resolve or support live content or email.  


Questions?  

More information about .XXX is available at http://webnames.ca/xxx 
Call toll free 1-866-221-7878 to speak to a Customer Support representative about .XXX

Learn More

History of .XXX - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.xxx
The Register - .XXX Set to Go Live
Wired Magazine - ICANN Approves .XXX Red-Light District For The Internet

New Domain Names are Coming in 2012

Part of the mandate of ICANN is to make the internet representative and inclusive. Over the last ten years they have tried to pick new top level domain names that would best serve the internet and this centralized process saw the introduction of new domain extensions such as .biz, .info, .mobi, .pro, and .tel.  A new domain program has been in discussion for a number of years and the timelines for it are expected to be announced fairly soon. The new generic Top Level Domain (gTLD) paradigm will allow anyone to pay an application fee and so long as they fulfill certain criteria they will be able to run a domain name registry.

There are three main types of new gTLDs that are expected:

• Geographic
• Special Interest
• Corporate Interest  

For example it is expected that Paris, Berlin, and New York City (and others) will apply for .paris, .berlin and .nyc.  It is also expected that companies like Cannon, Nike and IBM will apply for and run .cannon, .nike and .ibm domain registries.   There are also special interest groups that are anticipated to apply for  .shop, .sport, .gay and .golf.  

There are two main differences that are expected with the new gTLD process.  First, it is expected that there will be many more new gTLD's introduced over a fairly short period of time.  Second, it is expected that some of these new gTLD's will fail. There has not been a failed gTLD yet and the new approach being taken by ICANN is that they will no longer try to pick the winners but will, instead, let the market decide.

ICANN Approves New gTLDs

This week ICANN formally approved the program it developed for creation of new generic top-level domains (gTLDs) at its 41st open meeting in Singapore.

Applications for the first round of new gTLDs will be accepted by ICANN from January 12, 2012 through April 12, 2012, and ICANN's application fee will be $185,000.  ICANN will post the public portions of all gTLD applications within two weeks of April 12, 2010 and it will then undertake a review of each application to determine whether the proposed gTLD is appropriate for approval.

ICANN reports on its website that a global campaign will soon begin, to tell the world about this dramatic change in Internet names and to raise awareness of the opportunities afforded by new gTLDs.

For those interested in taking a closer look at the policies that will govern the launch of the new gTLD program, they can be found in ICANN's 352-page gTLD Applicant Guidebook.

We are gTLD Ready!

We want to let you know that Webnames.ca is ready for the coming change in the Internet and domain landscape. We have worked hard to ensure that our systems are fully capable of supporting the new gTLD's with the integrity and reliability that our customers have come to expect.

There have been some large Domain Sales published on the YTD Sales Chart which you can view here, and it's only April. We wanted to share some of the year's biggest sales so far for 2011.

The sales data presented here comes from DN Journal (an extremely useful, albeit ugly website, for keeping tabs on domain aftermarket activities), Namer.ca, DomainAssets.ca and Sedo's Quarterly newsletter among others.

Here are the numbers:

Top 20 Domain Sales (year-to-date as reported by DNJ April 2011)


Click here to view top overall domain sales 21-100


Top 10 ccTLD (country code) domain sales:


Click here to view top ccTLD sales 11-100

If you've recently received an official looking letter from the 'Domain Registry of Canada', we urge you to proceed with caution.

The "Domain Registry of Canada" is a company who has been in operation since 2001. The "Domain Registry of Canada" has no association with CIRA, or any government organization. They are also not related to Webnames.ca in any way. Their official looking letter (see images below) is an aggressive direct mail campaign aimed at trying to get you to transfer your domain away from your current registrar to them.

The letters claim the same thing. They tell you that your domain is about to expire and that you need to renew it immediatley; unfortunately, this is not the case. In the domain industry this practice is known as "Domain Slamming."


Domain Slamming is best described as a scam where a domain registrar attempts to trick customers of other companies into switching from their current registrar to the scamming one. They make it sound as though you are simply renewing your domain, while in reality you are signing paperwork, and sending money to effectively transfer your domain to them.

The overall look of the letter itself is very misleading. It looks similar to an official Government of Canada letter you may receive from time to time. The worst part about these letters is that they use scare tactics to convince customers they need to renew their domain, with lines like "Failure to renew your domain name by the expiration date may result in a loss of your online identity making it difficult for your customers and friends to locate you on the Web." Not only is it misleading, they tend to charge exorbitant amounts for domains, making you pay significantly more in the long run.

Make sure you keep a few things in mind if you receive a suspicious looking letter or email:

Do you recognize the sender, and is this a legitimate company?
If you don't recognize the company name, take a moment to look them up on the Better Business Bureau's Website. If they are a legitimate business with a good reputation than contacting them should be no problem. If they are scamming you, this website should give you a good sense of that.

Who is the Registrar of Record for your existing domain(s)?
If you receive a notification of renewal for one of your domains, be sure that it is coming from the registrar of record for that domain name. All registrations are handled by registrars and your Registrar of Record is who you initially registered your domain with. You can check your domains at http://www.webnames.ca/whois.asp or call your registrar.


Wondering how you can stop having these notices sent to you?
Check out Webnames Privacy Service which protects your information from being publicly visible and available to spammers and telemarketers. You will only receive official correspondence from Webnames.ca and the Registries and all other companies will be blocked out.

The main point to remember when receiving any communication is to read it fully and carefully (including the fine print) so you understand what the information is. Always deal with companies you know and trust.  Most importantly, if ever you are unsure as to the legitimacy of a notification, contact us at support@webnames.ca and we will be happy to review the notice you received.

If you haven't already heard or seen the video, GoDaddy is getting a lot of bad press right now because their CEO Bob Parsons shot an elephant and put the video up on the internet (warning: graphic if you haven't seen it).

 This is  interesting timing because yesterday during a management meeting we were talking about our brand promise and what differentiates Webnames.ca from competitors.

Well, the outrage and groups urging people to close their GoDaddy accounts tells all of us who run businesses something very important.  Brand promise and values matter.   

 So rather than go on about GoDaddy here's our story. We are Canada's original .CA registrar. My business partner John Demco founded .CA in Canada back in 1987. Before the world wide web and before people were even using email. He had a vision to secure an online identity for all Canadians. He ran this effort as a volunteer for 13 years for free and has been honoured as one of the pioneers of the Canadian Internet.

 In 2000, we grew from 4 to 30 people in 4 months and ten years later, I'm proud to say that Webnames, founded on the principals of giving back, integrity and customer service continues to grow and expand. Our number 1 core value is to "amaze every customer with exceptional service". That's what defines us. That's who we are and that's our commitment to you.  We don't hide from our customers...we post our toll free phone number all over our website and homepage. If you aren't satisfied, you can write directly to president@webnames.ca . Our BBB rating is A+ and has been for the 10 years we've been in business and we continue to track a zero complaint record. We bring the human touch back to technology and are your "Ally on the Web".

No we don't sponsor Nascar but we do give back to the community. That's another one of our core values "to make a positive difference." Members of the management team serve on a number of boards,  mentor other entrepreneurs and businesses and the company sponsors numerous events, initiatives and charities.

Here's the Webnames.ca video that I'm proud to celebrate. You decide.

Cybele Negris
Co-Founder, Webnames.ca Inc.
http://cybele.tel

Do you own a .CA domain name? If so, you should know about some of the great initiatives coming out of the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) lately.

On February 25, 2011, CIRA will be hosting a national event about the future of the Internet - and you're invited to attend, in person or virtually.

The Canadian Internet Forum (CIF) is an opportunity to discuss, debate and propose directions for the development, deployment and governance of the Internet in Canada.

The national event is the culmination of four months of consultations with Canadians focused on a range of topics related to digital literacy and the digital economy. So far, Canadians have discussed issues of online privacy, how social media is driving the future of the Internet, and access to and the cost of broadband in Canada, among others.

At the CIF you can provide your feedback and opinions about the results of these consultations. There will be opportunity to ask questions, debate and have your opinion heard about the direction the Internet should take in Canada.

There will also be a panel of Canadian experts on hand to discuss and debate the future of the Internet, including:

• Jacob Glick, Canada Policy Counsel, Google
• Dr. Gerri Sinclair, Executive Director, Masters of Digital Media Program at Vancouver's Centre for Digital Media
• Marc Blanchet, Network Engineer, Viagénie
• Jim Roche, President and CEO, CANARIE
  

Canadian technology personality Leonard Brody will give the keynote address.

Following the CIF, there will be a networking reception where attendees can meet other Canadians interested in the development of the Internet

Can't be there in person? Watch the CIF live via webcast in English and French.

Event Agenda:
View an outline of the day's events

Free Registration:
Space is limited so register as soon as possible.  

WebCast Information:
Click here for more information on the webcast and system requirements

Time and Date:
9 a.m. to 5 p.m., February 25, 2011. (Lunch provided; reception to follow)

Location:
Brookstreet Hotel, Ottawa, ON

Other CIRA News
 
Don't forget to enter CIRA's .CA Impact Award contest which is on NOW! CIRA is recognizing ".CA websites that make a difference" across four fields: e-learning, small business, not-for-profit and web technology. Up for grabs is a $5000 prize in each category - as well as nationwide publicity for the winning websites. Deadline to enter is March 25, 2011. 

More info - Read the blog.

Life is about to get a whole lot easier for those who own or manage .CA domain name portfolios.

 

On Tuesday October 12, 2010, CIRA (the Canadian Internet Registration Authority) will be migrating to an EPP (Extensible Provisioning Protocol) platform for .ca domains. 
This protocol is favoured and used by other domain extensions such as .COM, .NET, .ORG, etc.

How will the changes impact .CA owners? Keep reading to find out!

Simplified Administrative Contact Updates

Well, for starters, your CIRA account (used to approve administrative contact updates or to transfer a domain) will be a thing of the past. Moving forward, administrative contact changes will be done entirely through your registrar and will not require subsequent confirmation with CIRA making the entire process faster and easier to complete.

Easier .CA Transfers

Registrar transfers will now require an authorization code (called an EPP code) as well as the domain status to be either 'unlocked' or 'ok'. This authorization code can be obtained from the registrar you are transferring away from. After you have obtained the authorization or "EPP" code you can simply return to the Webnames.ca site to initiate your transfer. The transfer process will no longer be require you to login to your CIRA account to approve .CA transfer requests.  For those of you with large.CA domain portfolios, the above changes will make bulk .CA transfers much easier to process. 

Please note that CIRA will still continue to enforce Canadian Presence Requirements for registrants, though, as well as the other requirements of the registrant agreement.

Grandfathering of 3rd and 4th Level .CA Domain Names

One of the bigger changes though, is how the switch to EPP will affect 3rd and 4th level domains (like abc.bc.ca or xyz.on.ca). These domains will be maintained by CIRA, and registrants can continue to use and renew them; however, be warned that if these domains were to expire and lapse completely, you will no longer be able to re-register 3rd or 4th level extensions.

CIRA won't be supporting any new registrations of either provincial extensions, nor 4th level registrations of municipal domains (like town.nameoftown.bc.ca) as of October 12, 2010.

If you currently have a top level domain (for example, www.webnames.ca) and want to register your domain in the 3rd level (for example, www.webnames.bc.ca) you must do so before Tuesday, October 12, 2010.

To register a 3rd level domain name, please call Webnames.ca Customer Support toll free at 1-866-221-7878 or email your request to support@webnames.ca and one of our representatives can help process your registration.

Registration Tip! - Mobile internet use has made local search an important trend in search engine optimization. Registering your business name in the 3rd level may help your business rank better against your local and regional competitors!

Also, in the week leading up to the migration, CIRA will not be accepting any modifications to .CA domains that would typically require approval in one's CIRA account. That means that contact information updates, registrar transfers and registrant transfers will all be disabled starting October 4th, 2010.

To learn more about the upcoming changes at CIRA and the move to the new and improved .CA domain name registration system, go to cira.ca/ca-faq-10-12.

If you have any questions about the content of this blog post or the CIRA registration system transition, please email support@webnames.ca.

When I heard about .co I immediately groaned and said "not a faux .com domain".  Yes, I was skeptical.

But I've had time to rethink that thought. When I started looking into .co and how they have positioned themselves in the marketplace I changed my mind.

.co sees itself as an opportunity to get the name you really want (and have cleverly set their landing page to www.opportunity.co ). They use the example of The Madison Group who had tmgstudio.net and have now been able to rebrand with tmg.co.

I am a bit of a pedant about the original gTLD extensions. In my books .org is for organizations, .net is for ISPs,  and .com is for companies.

.co goes one further than .com - it is right for commercial purposes of course, but then extends to communities and contests - it's a very clever repurposing of this domain extension. They also suggest communication and content - really the web is their oyster.

With only 400,000 (plus change) .co names registered, there is an amazing opportunity for all you .biz, .net, and .info branded websites to get a well targeted .co name.

Shorter, stronger, better!

There are so many great names still available - here's a handful:

redroom.co
peppercorn.co
offsetter.co
couponer.co
rhumba.co
ecoworks.co
lamplighter.co
highfibre.co
yellowfin.co

Click here to search for other .co names, or to register one from the list above.
Learn more about .co at the official .co registry.
Read the latest news about the new .co domain extension.

The Internet just got a little bigger today with .CO opening for general registration. Beginning at 11:00 AM Pacific Time, .CO registrations began rolling in fast and furious at Webnames.ca.

A new domain launch is always exciting. For registrants it provides a rare opportunity to get truly premium domains - names that are memorable, dictionary words, combinations of words, popular phrases, trending terms and topics, first names, last names and place names.  Really good stuff is available at this early date!

Around the office, it's exciting to see the variety of names being registered and share in our customers excitement when they get the exact domain name they want, or in some cases, have wanted for years.

With most of the quality .COM's taken in the primary market, it's getting harder to secure a good, global domain name unless you are willing to pay the going rate in the aftermarket. When searching for a new domain to represent a business, product or brand, most people have to go through dozens of variations before settling on a second rate domain.

.CO presents a rare opportunity for people to get all their names - brands, business and product - and also register relevant generic domains they can use to drive traffic, expand their brand or hold onto for future use.

Online shopping giant Overstock.com announced today that they acquired the domain "O.CO" specifically to target new audiences and expand its global brand.

"We think the O is a really important part of our brand," said Jonathan Johnson, Overstock.com president. "We think many people think of us as the O. And single-letter domain names are rare so we're glad to have this one."

Overstock paid $350k for their new .CO domain, however you don't need deep pockets to follow their lead. .CO domains are only $29.50 at Webnames.ca and this is the best opportunity you will every have to register great brand building and marketing domains.

Register soon, an opportunity like this only comes around once every couple years.  This is your chance to get the domain that got away from you in both .COM and .CA!

Everything You Need to Know About .CO













Where:   Register .CO at Webnames.ca

When: .CO General Registration begins Tuesday, July 20 at 11:00 PDT

Cost:  .CO is $29.50 US/year at Webnames.ca.
(This is the best price available for .CO, lower than most discount registrars including GoDaddy.)

Term: .CO can be registered for 1 to 5 years.

Meaning:  Associated globally with the words "company," "corporation" and "commerce," .CO is a flexible domain for businesses.  It is also a great platform for socially networked companies or individuals.


.CO Highlights

• .CO is meaningful, flexible and available!
• .CO is easy to understand when writing, spelling or speaking over the phone for example.
• .CO can represent a company, corporation, or other commercially focused endeavor.
• .CO is a great fit for communities, cooperatives, coalitions, collaborative ventures, content sharing and communication platforms. [Learn more about .CO]

It is less than one week until the Targeted TRAFFIC Vancouver conference and the full schedule is now available online.

The three day conference kicks off Tuesday, June 8th with opening remarks from Rick Latona at 11:00 am, then it's straight into panels, networking and breakout sessions.

Webnames.ca CEO Stephen Smith and Director John Demco will be on two of the many panels, along with other well known domain industry and monetization experts.

Here some highlights we are looking forward to:

Tuesday, June 8th

11:15 am. - 12:30 pm - ccTLDs are taking over the world, is North America immune?

In Europe and the rest of the world ccTLDs have emerged as the extension of choice for most countries. In Canada .ca has gained momentum but in the United States .us is still for the most part unknown or misunderstood. Is America ready for .us?

Webnames.ca CEO Stephen Smith will be participating in thispanel discussion alongside Ken Hansen from Neustar and Ron Jackson, Editor of DN Journal.

2:00 - 4:30 pm - Main Event 1: Test Track

First launched at T.R.A.F.F.I.C New York and inspired by ABC's hit T.V. show Shark Tank, Test Track provides an opportunity for entrepreneurs to pitch their businesses to seasoned investors. This event isn't to be missed. It's the most education and intellectually simulating event in the domain business.

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Wednesday, June 9th 2010

11:00 am - 12:00 pm - Domain Names, the future or the past?

More than ever we are questioned about the future stability of domain names. Will they be replaced by a technological or media innovation? What is their projected life value as an investment or asset? After developing and monetizing domain names for over fifteen years we have some answers that may surprise you

This panel discussion features the Castello Brothers of CCIN and Victor Pitts of iGoldrush.

1:00 -1:45 PM - Fireside chat with John Demco

Webnames.ca Director and co-Founder John Demco will be hosting this smaller, more informal session. John conceived the .CA country code domain name in 1987 and served as its initial Registrar. He helped establish the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) where he continues to serve on the Board of Directors. John is playfully referred to by many as the "Godfather" of .CA and has been recognized by the Prime Minister as a founder and builder of the Canadian Internet (1997).

2:30 - 3:45 - Oh Canada! Panel sponsored by CIRA

This panel will focus on the .ca extension. It will explore .ca growth initiatives by CIRA, recent and interesting cases of .ca development, SEO advantages of .ca and .ca versus .com . The panel will review .ca registration requirements, the .ca drop process and the secondary market.

Panel members for this discussion include Paul Andersen of CIRA and President of EGATE,  Zak Muscovitch of DNAttorney.com, Peter Maxymych, prominent Canadian domainer and President of EMall/DOAC and David Fowler, Marketing Director at CIRA.

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Thursday, June 10th 2010

11:00 am - 12:15 pm - Domain Development: In-house or outsource?

Developing domains into great web properties is easier than ever with technology such as aps, widgets and content feeds. This panel will discuss what kind of domains to develop as well as how and whether or not you should go it alone or outsource.

Panel features Mark Michael of Dev Hub, Mike Smutka of Blue Wire Solutions, Morgan Linton of Domain Investor Television and Kevin Legault from n49 Interactive.
          
1:00 - 2:15 pm - Mastering the resale market

Buying domains is easy but selling the right domain at the right price to the perfect buyer is an art. Our panel will discuss finding a buyer and negotiating a deal

2:15 - 3:30 pm - Advanced parking solutions

New and emerging products and tools make it easier than ever to optimize your parked domains. Our expert panel explores some of the best ways maximize potential revenue.

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We're really impressed with the variety of the schedule and the incorporation of considerable Canadian content. The organizers of TRAFFIC have done a great job cultivating a conference that with appeal for both Canadian and International audiences.

Tickets are still available, however the time limited early bird price has now expired. Targeted TRAFFIC Vancouver presents a great opportunity to learn about the business of domain investment and monetization in your own backyard. We hope to see you there!
 

Do you love domain names? Do you have a portfolio of domains and want to learn more about domain opportunities including how to develop, monetize and resell your names?

If you answered yes, you should not miss Targeted T.R.A.F.F.I.C. in Vancouver!

[Breaking News: ticket price drop - more information below!]

The T.R.A.F.F.I.C. conferences are some of the domain industry's biggest events. Coming June 8 to 10, T.R.A.F.F.I.C. Vancouver is expected to be a huge show, with the Vancouver area teeming with domain investors and companies that work within the space. The conference will be held at the Renaissance Vancouver Hotel Harbourside, where movers and shakers of the domain industry will gather for three days of business and pleasure.

Get to know the people making up the industry which in turn will give you a better understanding as to how they conduct their respective businesses. Learn more about the competition and, at the same time, be open to new business ventures in form of joint partnerships and alliances.  T.R.A.F.F.I.C. Vancouver is your chance to widen your connections with its networking sessions.

Besides rubbing elbows with your peers in the domain industry, be ready for some friendly competition. Latona's Auctions will hold their live domain auction where domainers have their eyes set on building their already sizable portfolios. With hundreds of the hottest domain names lined up, the bidding will definitely be fast-paced with enthusiastic participants trying to outbid one another.

T.R.A.F.F.I.C. Vancouver will also bring you the Test Track sponsored by .CO Internet SAS. It gives opportunity for entrepreneurs, novice and seasoned alike, to pitch their businesses to a group of qualified angel investors.

Important Update - Price Drop on T.R.A.F.F.I.C. Vancouver Tickets!

Yesterday, the conference organizers slashed the price to attend T.R.A.F.F.I.C. Vancouver to only $395 US!

Previously, fees to attend T.R.A.F.F.I.C. conference have always been in the range of $1000-$2000. This is a huge development that will help make the Vancouver show one of the most exciting of recent years. It is also tremendous news for smaller scale domain investors who want to learn more about the business and mingle with key industry players. [View the schedule] 

"T.R.A.F.F.I.C. should have a return on investment for our attendees and sponsors, not us. While we can't promise this will continue, we would like to announce that we are dropping our price for T.R.A.F.F.I.C. Vancouver all the way down to $395 (USD)," said T.R.A.F.F.I.C. co-founder Rick Latona on his blog,  "The show is already shaping up to be a great success and we want to see how far we can push the envelop. Let's pack it with as many people as we can."

Be seen. Be recognized. Be part of T.R.A.F.F.I.C. Vancouver! Don't delay - if you want to attend, register today at http://www.targetedtraffic.com/.

Now that Canada has shown the world what we are capable of and we have all experienced the Olympics together and feeling that overwhelming sense of Canadian pride, here's a contest for you to showcase your "online Canadian-ness."

No, you won't win gold but the prizes are pretty good:

1.  Grand prize wins a MacBook Pro along with a feature in a future .CA marketing campaign.

2.  First runner-up wins a 64GB iPod touch

3.  Second runner-up wins a Flip UltraHD camcorder.

All .CA website holders across Canada are invited to make a short video explaining why their .CA website is the best.

Maximum length of videos must be no longer than three minutes.

Entrants upload their videos to YouTube via the online contest entry form, available at http://www.showusyour.ca.

Verisign - the registry provider for .COM and .NET - has released its final Domain Industry Brief for 2009.

The VeriSign quarterly reports provide a review of the state of the domain name industry, including up-to-date trends in new registrations, renewals, and growth opportunities, through a variety of statistical and analytical research.

Summary of Key Trends and Indicators

The Domain Name Industry closed 2009 with a base of more than 192 million domain name registrations across all of the Top Level Domain Names (TLDs), an increase of nearly 15 million domain name registrations since the close of 2008.

In the fourth quarter of 2009, the base of domain name registrations grew by two percent over the third quarter of 2009 and eight percent over the fourth quarter of 2008.

The base of Country Code Top Level Domain Names (ccTLDs) rose to 78.6 million domain names, a three percent increase quarter over quarter and a 10 percent increase year over year.

In terms of total registrations, .COM continues to have the highest base followed by .CN (China), .DE (Germany), .NET and .UK (United Kingdom).

.CN (the ccTLD for China) regained it's position as the most registered ccTLDs  but .UK notably was had the most growth with an 11% increase in registrations

.COM and .net grew to 96.7 million domain name registrations at the end of 2009, an increase of 7% over the last quarter in 2008.

Renewal Rates Trends

The rate of renewals at the end of 2009 was 71%

88% of the .COM and .NET domains resolve to a site, however 24% of that number represents "Onepage" sites including parked domains, under construction and brochure-ware sites.

Learn More: The full Domain Industry Brief report can be found in PDF format here.