Domain Name Investing and Changes for .au

Internet pioneer, innovator and CEO/Founder of Uniregistry Frank Schilling recently visited us in Australia. During his interview with Chris Burgess on behalf of DnTrade and Cooper Mills, Mr Schilling revealed his views on everything from new GTLDs, domain investing and the proposal to allow registrations at the second level in the .au domain name space.

au – Registrations at the Second Level ?

The topic of most current relevance in Australia was his views on allowing registrations at the second level in .au. The last draft version of the Names Policy Panel recommended:

While this is a draft report, it is expected that the Panel’s final recommendation will retain the recommendation for allowing registrations at the second level. The final report is currently before the auDA Board for consideration.

In the interview Mr Schilling reveals how he believes it is inevitable that .au will be opened up to second level registrations, and that this move would be consistent with other jurisdictions such as the United Kingdom and Canada, who allow second level registrations under .uk and .ca respectively.

The draft report and views of Mr Schilling are also very important for trademark owners, and further highlights why they should consult their trademark lawyers to develop a comprehensive brand protection strategy.

Opportunities for Investment

In the interview, Mr Schilling also reveals how he started out in domain name investment, and some of the tips and tricks that potential investors should consider. He also reveals that he currently has a portfolio of 380,000 domain names, and that the launch of new GTLDs provides opportunities for investors.

In the meantime, enjoy the interview.