SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Internet is set to see its greatest ever transformation as literally hundreds of new domain extensions are added to the global communications network.
New rules will soon allow the expansion of available “generic top-level domains” from 21 to literally hundreds of new names. It represents a drastic change in how information will be accessed online and in terms of business opportunities.
In many ways, this can be viewed as a modern day equivalent of the Oklahoma land run of 1889, when restricted lands were opened on a first arrival basis. If you got there first and pitched a claim, the land belonged to you.
Now, in 2011, a new, global ‘land rush’ is taking place. The new land is no longer physical, it is virtual. And it represents the largest land rush we will see in our lifetimes.
The .nxt conference will cover this shift and takes place from February 8-10, hosted by the San Francisco Bay chapter of the Internet Society (SF-Bay ISOC). Just one month after .nxt, a meeting of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) – also in San Francisco – will likely see the formal approval of rules to allow the introduction of new domains and the start of the application process. Anyone will be able to apply for potentially any domain.
“Despite the massive opportunity that new domains offer, there is extremely low awareness of this change outside of the Internet policy world,” said Kieren McCarthy, general manager of the conference. “.nxt will the first conference of its kind, featuring experts from across the world who will discuss as well as try to predict, unravel and profit from a radical new expansion of the Internet's domain name space.”
More than 100 individuals, groups and companies intend to apply for their own internet domain, with examples including .eco, .berlin, .love, and .gay. Additionally, some of the world’s major corporations have indicated they will apply.
For anyone thinking about applying for a new domain or for anyone who wants to learn more about the implications, opportunities and impact this change will bring about, the .nxt conference is not to be missed. For more information visit: www.dot-nxt.com.
Speakers will include:
- Thought Leaders: 17 CEOs covering every aspect of the industry from those that run Internet extensions to those that sell domains to the public.
- Industry Leaders: Executives and Senior Managers from GoDaddy, Afilias, VeriSign, Network Solutions, Tucows, Oversee, Neustar and others.
- Startups and Affinity Players: Those actually applying for new extensions, including dotMusic and dotGay.
- Entrepreneurs: Leaders from the domain world.
- Hundreds More: Internet pioneers who can ask what they want to the people that know.