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| Top Level Domains |
All domain names have one Top Level Domain (TLD) positioned at the end. For example, in the domain names yourname.co.uk and yourname .com, the TLD's are .uk and .com respectively. Most geographical territories have been allocated a specific two-letter code such as .uk for United Kingdom or .au for Australia - known as a country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD). There are also several generic Top level Domains (gTLD's) that are not specific to a geographic location. These gTLD's include .com, .net and .org and can be registered with Total Registrations.
The current generic Top Level Domains are usually used in the following ways:
.com - businesses or commercial enterprises
.net - network related organisations and enterprises
.org - charitable or non-profit organisations
.aero - aviation
.biz - businesses
.coop - cooperatives
.info - general information
.museum - museums
.name - individuals
.pro - professionals
New Top Level Domains
There are also several new gTLD's that are currently being evaluated by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. These are to be introduced in order to:
To improve navigation around the rapidly expanding domain name system
Minimise the misuse of domains through infringement
To promote competition in the domain name system
To introduce non-commercial and personal domains
Each new gTLD has been approved to satisfy a specific market:
.asia - Asian companies
.cat - Catalan language and culture
.jobs - human resources
.mail - an anti-spam domain
.mobi - mobile telephones
.post - postal service
.tel - internet telephony
.travel - travel industry
.xxx - pornographic websites
Provided that ICANN gives each of the new domain types their backing, it should be possible to register these domain names towards mid 2006. However there will be restrictions and limitations on individuals or organisation wishing to register. As Total Registrations is an ICANN-accredited registrar, you will be able register these new gTLD's directly through us.
All Total Registrations customers will be informed in advance of this service being made available. See the news section in your account or alternatively, sign up here
Second Level Domains
Country code Top Level Domains (ccTLD's) such as .uk and .au are broken down into sub-categories to indicate their type of activity. These sub-categories are called Second Level Domains (SLD's).
These are examples of SLD's under the .uk ccTLD:
.co.uk for commercial enterprises
.org.uk for non-commercial organisations
.me.uk for individuals
.plc.uk and .ltd.uk for registered company names only
.net.uk for Internet Service Providers
.sch.uk for schools
The rules for .co.uk and .org.uk registrations allow for a wide, unrestricted variety of names, abbreviations and acronyms to be used. However, the rules for .ltd.uk and .plc.uk registrations require that the Domain Name is the same as the company name that the organisation has registered with Companies House.
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