A two day event focused on web hosting and cloud industry at large, WorldHostingDays India 2013 today got off to a great start drawing an unprecedented gathering of the industry members interested in hearing about the latest trends, innovations, concerns etc.
The event began half an hour back with a session by Mr. Sandeep Ramchandani, Business Head, Radix Registry, on “The new gTLD revolution”. Providing valuable information about the new gTLDs that’re going to hit him market soon, the session saw Mr. Sandeep talk about the involvement of Radix Registry in ICANN’s New gTLD Application Process and how industry members and business organizations at large stand to benefit from them.
An active participant in ICANN’s process to expand the Internet naming system, Radix Registry is a Directi Business aiming to secure rights to operate several new generic top-level domains.
Mr. Sandeep began the talk with various statistics depicting the internet usage pattern around the globe. Pointing out gaping flaws in the current .COM dominated industry like inability to choose desired domain names, meaningless addressing system etc., he termed the new gTLD expansion as a “historic one time opportunity to perpetually own the Internet.”
Last year saw Radix Registry investing over $30 million on the application of 31 gTLD applications; seven of which (.SHOP, .WEB, .SITE, .MUSIC, .HOTEL, .ONE and .BLOG) feature in Sedo’s top 10 valuable domain list and three (.HOST, .PRESS and .SPACE) have no other applicants other than Radix, making them virtually theirs.
Mr. Sandeep spoke at length about the market changes that are going to follow, like registrars and resellers having more power than registries, change of modus-operandi of domain selling, emergence of industry niche registrars etc. and how they’ll make hosting providers and resellers’ investment in new gTLDs worthwhile.
Highlighting some recent developments, like Radix Registry recently passing 4 new gTLD initial evaluations, partnership with Tucows and Namecheap to run .ONLINE, .PW TLD crossing 50,000 domain names within 3 weeks of its General Availability etc., Mr. Sandeep explained how Radix has experience and skillset, both from technology and resource point of view to manage and successfully integrate important TLDs with the changing market needs.
Results of a survey quoted by Mr. Sandeep revealed that although only 15% of the SMBs knew about the new gTLDs; when educated, 49% said they were likely to register a domain with new gTLD, with some even willing to pay up to 47% higher price for premium domains.
Although the findings are indicative of nothing but a bright future of new gTLDs, it is too early to say with certainty what the outcome will be.
Regardless of whether you believe in Mr. Sandeep’s belief in the future potential of new gTLDs or not, you should open your mind to the possibilities that lie ahead and have a go with the new gTLDs, much as you did when you registered your first .COM name.
For more information on Radix Registry, click here.
PS: DHN will be updating you with happenings at WHD.India 2013 in real time. Keep watching this space for information on ongoing sessions, Trade.FAIR and other activities.
