StarHub applies for TLD name

SINGAPORE--StarHub has became the first local telco to join others seeking to apply for their own branded domain name, following in the footsteps of other corporate brands such as Canon, Deloitte and Hitachi.

In a press statement Thursday, the telco said it partnered technical registry provider, ARI Registry Services, and digital brand management services provider, Melbourne IT Digital Brand Services, for the application process and, upon successfully acquiring it, will operate the ".starhub" domain name.

When acquired, consumers can expect to see new Web site addresses such as "mobile.starhub" or "broadband.starhub" as part of the company's future marketing and advertising activities, the telco added.

"We believe the '.starhub' top-level domain (TLD) will deliver clear marketing and advertising benefits to StarHub, such as improved online brand recall and a more intuitive consumer experience with easy-to-remember domain names," said Oliver Chong, StarHub's assistant vice president of brand and marketing communications, in the statement.

"We also anticipate potential search engine optimization (SEO) benefits by operating a more targeted and relevant naming system that is clearly matched with our Web site content," he added.

Adrian Kinderis, CEO of ARI Registry Services, also lauded the move, saying that StarHub's participation would "open the floodgates" for Asian brands to get on board with the initiative and be a "major boost to the local digital economy".

Application for new TLDs opened on Jan. 12 this year and will close three months later, according to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). The not-for-profit private-sector organization responsible for administering the Web approved the generic TLD proposal last June.