Introduction of me-domains

April 24, 2008; 04:10 AM

(openPR) - The me-domain is an Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) that has been assigned to Montenegro. This follows Montenegro's June 3, 2006 declaration of independence from Serbia and Montenegro, which used the code YU.

The .me registry is operated by the University of Montenegro on behalf of the government. A two-year transition period is to be provided for existing .yu names to be transferred to .me.

In addition to declaring .me to be independent of .yu, a new .rs domain is to be deployed for Serbian use.

The me-domain is expected to be utilized as both a personalized Web address and as a catchy business marketing tool around the world, initially in English followed by localized and standards compliant International Domain Names in, for example, Spanish, Italian, and Montenegrin.

Me-domains, with their universal appeal, are expected to be in high demand. So some “premium” names – including verb-oriented domains, such as “Contact.ME,” “Drive.ME” or “Fly.ME,” – will be held back for auction after Open Registration. We will have more information available on premium auctions in the months to come.

Who is eligible to apply for a domain during the General Sunrise period?

Owners of any current registered trademark or service mark applied for prior to June 28, 2006 are eligible to apply for a second-level domain name during the Sunrise period. Applicants from around the world (including Montenegrin entities) may apply in this period.

What are the Sunrise requirements and restrictions?

An overview of the basic eligibility rules:
* At the time of your registration of the Domain Name, a current (non-expired) trademark or service mark must be registered in your name; and
* The Domain Name must be identical to the textual or word elements of the trademark or service mark registration on which the registration of your Domain Name is based, and
* The trademark or service mark registration on which the registration of your Domain Name is based must be of national effect, and
* The trademark or service mark on which the registration of your Domain Name was based must have been registered or applied for prior to 28 June 2006 with the trademark authority with which the mark is registered.

How will Sunrise names be awarded?

In the Sunrise periods, different parties may submit applications for the same domain name. (In other words, it is not a first-come-first-served process.) At the end of the Sunrise, the applications will be examined. If there is only one application for a domain name, the domain name will be awarded to that applicant. If two or more parties apply for a domain name, those parties will enter an auction for the domain name. The domain name will be allocated to the auction winner.

Applications from the Montenegrin Sunrise and the General Sunrise will be pooled together. If an applicant from the Montenegrin Sunrise and the General Sunrise both apply for the same domain name, they will compete against each other in the auction.

What are the registration terms for domains registered during the Sunrise period?

Sunrise domains may be registered for a registration term of a minimum of five years, and up to a maximum of ten years.

Hans Peter Oswald
www.domainregistry.de/me-domain.html

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