First new domain extension, first IDN. Arabic domain is live!
.SHABAKA, or as they say in Arabic, . شبكة, is the first of the new domain extensions to be released. It roughly translates as Internet and is the first generic domain written entirely in Arabic. EuroDNS is ready to accept your applications for this new gTLD, so get registering. Let’s take a closer look at this internationalised domain name (IDN) and find out when and how you can register…
First new gTLD, first IDN - . شبكة
Firstly, congratulations and high five to all those involved in this historic event – the Internet just got bigger.
When ICANN decided to introduce new domains, its goal was to give users more choice, this would only be possible with the inclusion of internationalised domain names (IDNs). .SHABAKA is the first, and with Arabic as the fifth most common language in the world, we can only wonder why it took so long. More good news - there are over 100 new IDNs still waiting for release.
Domain launches
Each new gTLD has various launches phases, starting with the Sunrise period lasting at least 30 days, depending on the extension. .SHABAKA will be in Sunrise until December 29, so lots of time to register. The next phase is called Landrush, another 30 days. This provides early access to the most popular domains. If there are multiple applications for the name, an auction takes place. General Availability, when anyone can register follows, on a first come, first served basis. The launch programme of each new gTLD may vary from one registry to another so we'll update you as and when they become available. In the meantime, we have a graphic timeline to help.
Once .SHABAKA reaches the General Availability period, anyone can register – so long as it’s in Arabic. At the moment it’s in its Sunrise period so only open to brand owners who have their trademark registered with the Trademark Clearinghouse (TMCH).
If you'd like to participate in this Sunrise period, recording your mark with TMCH is your first step. You can do this and register your .SHABAKA domain name with EuroDNS; you can also specify which registration phase best suits your needs.
We've added a new section in our help centre with lots of information about the new domain extensions and how they work, take a look or if you'd prefer, give us a shout!
