Jul, 2010 : .CO Internet Extends Deadline for Landrush

📅 July 9, 2010 - Extends the deadline for people and companies to secure high-priority .CO domain names prior to their availability to the general public on July 20.

.CO Internet S.A.S., the Registry operator of the .CO domain, today announced that due to extraordinary demand for the impending .CO domain launch, it has officially extended the deadline for people and companies to secure high-priority .CO domain names prior to their availability to the general public on July 20. The company mentions that the deadline for the Landrush phase will be extended through Friday, July 16th at 12:00 pm (Noon) EDT.

It explains that the new .CO domain offering presents opportunities for corporations, brands, web developers, agencies, entrepreneurs and others to secure high-priority, high-value domain names that have long been "unavailable" in the .COM domain. To date, it has registered or taken applications for more than 26,000 .CO domain names, many of which have been secured by the world's top global brands and Fortune 500 companies, such as: Amazon, American Express, Apple, BMW, Cartier, Canon, CNN, Coca-Cola, Disney, Ebay, Exxon, Facebook, Ford, Google, Hilton, Honda, IBM, IKEA, Kodak, McDonalds, Microsoft, MTV, Nestle, Nike, Nokia, Panasonic, Pfizer, Samsung, Sony, Toshiba, Toyota, Twitter, Unilever, Visa, Yahoo and many more. The company expects to receive several thousand more applications prior to the end of the Landrush period.

It states that during the Landrush phase, organizations and individuals wishing to secure early access to high-priority, high-value .CO domain names may do so, for a premium, through one of 10 .CO Accredited Registrar partners, including GoDaddy.com, Register.com, Network Solutions, eNom, InternetX, Dotster, Melbourne IT, OpenSRS, My.co, and Dominio Amigo, or any of the resellers within each Registrar's extended networks.

The company further states that .CO domains registered during the Landrush phase are priced at a premium to reflect their high value and high demand, with prices averaging between $250 to $300, depending on the Registrar. If more than one Landrush application is received for a particular domain name, it will be auctioned to the highest bidder.

"The response to the new .CO domain offering has been overwhelming. To keep up with the demand, our Registrar partners have asked us to extend the deadline for the Landrush phase to give more people the opportunity to secure their desired domains before they are released to the general public," said Nicolai Bezsonoff, Chief Operating Officer of .CO Internet. "July 16th will be the last opportunity for corporations, major brands, start-ups and individuals to secure their desired domains early. On July 20, all unclaimed domains will be added to the general pool and released on a first-come, first-served basis."