Why dot mobi should be redirecting premium domains & reserved domains!

I have blogged about why ‘dot mobi‘ should be redirecting their premium domains plenty of times in the past. It’s very bad practice to own all these premium reserved domains, and now 1 and 2 character domains, and for them not to resolve.

Everyone knows this, and everyone it seems agree. Even dot mobi who i have spoken to about this seem to agree but they have hangups about the legal side. Or should i say about the fine print with icann. Well apart from the fact that themselves icann are the most moneygrabbing, dysfunctional organisation you care to think of , I can see no reason why they would have a problem with dot mobi.

It may well be that in the signed agreements with icann , .mobi are restricted in that they are not technically allowed at this point for domains to be forwarded. I see it that they are not allowed to resolve, ie. for a holding page.

Here’s the proposal pdf from dot mobi to icann, back in may 2008 http://www.icann.org/en/registries/rsep/mobi-proposal-29may08.pdf

Quote:

“To commence the allocation process the domains would, in the first instance, be entered into the zone file and
moved to a ‘holding account’ within the Registry database. dotMobi would temporarily be listed as the Registrar
and Registrant of record (the names would not resolve at this point) until such time as the registration credentials
for the domains are awarded and transferred and the names are registered by the successful applicants.
This is simply a release of additional domain names in the .mobi domain space. As such, there is no unique,
technical aspect or complexity to this project.”

(This is appendix 6 of the icann contract.)

Another quote:

“Auctions will not form any part of this allocation process and dotMobi will not make a profit from this process. ”

So we know dot mobi aren’t making a profit as far as these 1 and 2 character domains, but I think it’s entirely reasonable to be able to redirect users typing the said domains into the browser to be directed to mtld’s page about the rfp process.

They certainly should be able to do this for reserved names like ’sex.mobi’ just as one example. A dedicated mtld page offering for sale or enquiry imho.

This is the november 2008 icann/.mobi pdf for reference: http://www.icann.org/en/registries/rsep/mobi-proposal-02nov08.pdf

Now, getting back to what i was saying, currently this is the page people need to find if they want to register an interest in obtaining a one or two character .mobi domain for their company.

And  this is the page that people with an interest in a one and 2 charcter .mobi domains need to find when entering it into the browser . ‘If’ technically icann may frown, then icann need to be approached to clear the way as i can see no earthly reason why they would allow.

Certainly it has to be allowed for premium reserved names, like ‘boots.mobi’ or ’sex.mobi’?

Look what the .me registry is doing with its reserved names. Go to www.love.me or www.sex.me

THIS is what the dotmobi.mobi should be doing, and should have been doing for a long time. Or at the very least should be in dialogue with icann constantly to address. Instead over 3 years inthey have thousands of premium domains tied up doing nothing. These premium reserved domains should redirect to a full pc page on the pc and a mobile compliant page on a mobile and detail how someone may go about purchasing.

Let’s just take one example of say: www.boots.mobi

Now it doesn’t resolve. The huge chemist and pharmaceutical company that is ‘Boots’ in the UK, are using www.bootsdiets.mobi as a dieting site. They would obviously like to own the shorter domain  www.boots.mobi for their main mobile site it’s fair to assume as they are already aware and using .mobi. But if a site doesn’t resolve, most people assume it doesn’t exist or don’t know about whois (yes, even huge firms), or they may not know how to acquire such a name.

So what is needed is the 1 and 2 character rfp .mobi domains need to redirect to  this  page

along with a mobile version, and a different page for the reserved premiums so that people can buy. Apart from all the reasons aforementioned, it would provide a much needed revenue stream for dot mobi for the sale of premium names, and for the reserved 1 and 2 character it would help get these out there in the ecosystem. In fact help all of them out into the ecosystem. What’s more there’;s nothing worse for the public and their perception of .mobi domains if thousands upon thousands don’t resolve, or rather at least redirect and explain that they’re available.

Enough is enough. No more excuses dot mobi, address this issue. Get people who can make things happen! This is basic stuff in my honest opinion!