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NSW, Vic sign vendor for .brand domains

The New South Wales and Victorian governments have signed off on a vendor to assist them in a joint application for the purchase of new .sydney and .melbourne top-level domains.
Written by Luke Hopewell, Contributor

The New South Wales and Victorian governments have signed off on a vendor to assist them in a joint application for the purchase of new .sydney and .melbourne top-level domains.

ARI Registry Services is set to assist in the purchase and operation of the two .brand domains, which are set to go live in the first half of 2013.

CEO of ARI Registry Services, Adrian Kinderis, said that it was encouraging to see governments jump on board with new, premium domain name services.

"The introduction of new top-level domains marks a sweeping evolution of the internet. The appointment of ARI Registry Services by the governments of New South Wales and Victoria to provide strategic planning consultancy, application development support and technical registry operations will ensure the success of this ground-breaking initiative.

"It's great to see Australian governments and corporate entities embracing the opportunities presented by new top-level domains and securing their identity as a digital asset for their constituents and stakeholders," Kinderis said.

ARI Registry Services will partner with Melbourne IT on the .brand project.

Theo Hnarakis, managing director of Melbourne IT, said on the company's results call yesterday that the demand for premium top-level domains is coming from all over the world. Hnarakis said that telcos, infrastructure providers, financial services and media companies are all applying for .brand top-level domains, with around 140 applications received so far.

The .sydney and .melbourne wins continue the positive run on domain sales from ARI and Melbourne IT. Last week the two companies were named as the top-level domain provider for the Australian Football League.

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