This is your last chance to purchase your reserved .uk domain before they go on general sale, it’s important you make a decision now because the ‘reservation period’ ends on 25th June 2019.
What is happening?
In 2014, Nominet, the internet registry for .UK domains started to allow the registration of new domains directly under the .UK extension. Before this date, you could only register domains such as DOMAIN.CO.UK or DOMAIN.ORG.UK; now the shorter DOMAIN.UK was available.
For the first 5 years from launch, equivalent .uk domains e.g. were automatically reserved. However this reservation period comes to an end on 25 June 2019, after which the domain(s) will be made available on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.
For owners of existing .CO.UK AND .ORG.UK DOMAINS, who have not taken up their rights, that means there is less than 2 weeks to secure the new domain, before it is opened up to other applicants.
However, it is also an opportunity if there is a .CO.UK or .ORG.UK domain that you have not been able to register, as the .UK equivalent may still be available when first come, first served registration opens between 1 July and 5 July.
Why is this important?
.uk is very similar to .co.uk – you should protect your brand rather than allow a competitor or someone else to gain control of the domain name. Once that happens it can be very difficult, often impossible, to retrieve.
What do you need to do?
- Review your current .UK domains and let us know ASAP if you would like to take up your right to the new domain.
- Review your non .UK domains e.g. .COM, .NET and let us know whether you would like to own the .UK equivalent. EJC can check whether it is available and make a pre-application for the domain. We can’t guarantee that you will be successful, but the application will be lodged as soon as the registry opens for applications. And rest assured, we will only charge our standard registration and annual management fees if your application is successful.
If you are not the person who makes these decisions, please get in touch with them as a matter of urgency.
