Tarlow, Breed, Hart & Rodgers, P.C. reminds businesses to protect their IP by acquiring a .mobi domain name. January 8, 2008; 05:56 AM Boston, MA, January 08, 2008 --
It’s one of those “omigosh” moments – how many businesses originally
overlooked the need to acquire a dot com site years ago? Then the
internet really took off, and they had to settle for some permutation
of their company name to get a .com address.
Well that
phenomenon may yet ring true for businesses that aren’t aware of the
public availability of .mobi domain names. Over a year ago, the Boston
law firm of Tarlow, Breed, Hart & Rodgers, P.C. took the lead by
advising their clients with registered trademarks about securing a
.mobi domain name.
It’s estimated that 1.3 billion people will
connect to the internet via mobile phone during 2008 and .mobi is the
first top level domain name (tld) formulated exclusively for delivering
the internet to portable devices. With the .mobi tld, websites may be
optimized for mobile users, allowing a variety of devices to become
more effective internet tools, providing companies with direct access
to mobile users as means of generating new business.
Avoiding
the equivalent of an internet “gold rush” is still possible for many
businesses that simply may not have been aware of the advantages of
procuring a .mobi address. Michael Radin of Tarlow, Breed, Hart &
Rodgers, P.C. encourages businesses to explore the acquisition of a
.mobi domain name, as well as other urls employing the company’s name
as a prefix, to protect the integrity of their intellectual property
(IP).
Notes Radin, “Even if a company’s name is not trademarked,
it still makes sense to try to control available urls bearing the
company’s name. It’s often time consuming for potential clients and
customers to find a company online when their domain name bears no
relationship to the branded name of the company. Acting now, while
.mobi domain names are still readily available, is a good way of
maintaining future access, even if a business doesn’t immediately
utilize their .mobi domain name.”
It is inevitable that access
to mobile devices will become more valuable so it may be well worth
considering acquiring a .mobi tld now, avoiding the possibility of
frustration later when a business may find that its ideal .mobi domain
name has already been taken. Even if a company’s present business plan
does not currently involve accessing mobile users, it’s important to
think about long-term growth and opportunities that may arise in the
future.
Radin adds, “Even though the United States currently
lags behind Europe and Asia in the functionality of its cell phones,
owning a .mobi tld is a key part of being positioned to exploit the
emerging broader usage of cell phones as internet tools in the US.”
Tarlow, Breed, Hart & Rodgers, P.C. Formed
in 1991, Tarlow, Breed, Hart & Rodgers, P.C. is committed to
providing high quality, comprehensive legal services to its clients.
Featuring a breadth and depth of experience and perspective usually
found only at larger law firms, Tarlow, Breed, Hart & Rodgers. P.C.
offers sophisticated legal counsel to entrepreneurs, businesses,
individuals, families, and institutions.
Tarlow, Breed, Hart
& Rodgers’ areas of expertise include corporate law, employment
matters, mergers and acquisitions, litigation and dispute resolution,
estate planning, taxation, real estate, bankruptcy, and municipal law.
To
help clients make informed decisions and achieve their goals, Tarlow,
Breed, Hart & Rodgers P.C. develops creative customized solutions
for its clients by emphasizing careful listening and considerate
evaluation. Utilizing the expertise and collegiality of the firm’s
fifty plus members, associates, and support staff has consistently
resulted in the building of lasting relationships of trust and
confidence.
The offices of Tarlow, Breed, Hart & Rodgers,
P.C. are located at 101 Huntington Avenue, Prudential Center, in
Boston, MA 02199. For additional information, or to arrange for a
consultation, please call 1-617-218-2000, e-mail [email protected], or
visit www.tbhr-law.com.
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