February 8, 2012
Launched in late 2001, the .biz generic Top Level Domain (gTLD) recently turned 10 and the registry is celebrating.
Originally created to help address a .com domain name shortage, over 2.2 million .biz domain names are now registered.
Neustar, which also oversees administration of the .us, kids.us, .cn, .tw, .travel, .tel and 4U.com domain name extensions, is the .biz registry operator. The .biz contract was originally awarded in 2000 to NeuLevel - a since-dissolved joint venture between Neustar and an Australian company. Neustar is now the sole registry operator for the extension.
"We're pleased to be able to work with registrars to provide an alternative to traditional domain names, ones that are better suited to small to medium-sized businesses," said Jim Rogers, Neustar's VP of Marketing. "For the past ten years, we've watched the demand for new, more descriptive domain names increase and .biz is one of them."
Neustar's CEO is Lisa Hook, who prior to joining Neustar in 2008, held various positions at Fortune 500 companies including AOL, Time Warner and Viacom.
Neustar is celebrating ten years of .biz by inviting registrants to share their own success stories of operating websites under .biz names.
.BIZ was the first top-level domain to deploy both DNS Security Extensions (DNSSEC) and the Registry Lock service, which occurred in September last year.
Although .biz domain name registration can be carried out by anyone regardless of where they live, the extension is intended for use for business purposes. Registering a .biz name for the express purpose of selling or leasing is discouraged and reportedly may be challenged.
While not commonly used by Australian businesses, some local companies will opt for a .biz name if their trading name under .com.au or .com has already been taken.
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AUSTRALIAN OWNED AND OPERATED SINCE 1996
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