Icann to introduce more elite domain names

Icann, the body which controls the introduction of new domain names, has said it will approve a range of new suffixes during 2003.

During 2002 the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann) approved domains such as dot-biz, dot-info and dot-name to ease the clamour for appropriate URLs, with many companies and hobbyists alike finding it difficult to find domain names which aren't already in use elsewhere on the web.

However, although Icann says it intends to introduce even more suffixes in the coming year, it has said the new domains will be available only to companies and organisations in certain fields.

As with current domains, such as dot-edu and dot-ac.uk, which are restricted to US and UK academic institutions respectively, Icann has said the new domains will be on offer only to organisations which qualify as being relevant to the domain suffix.

Icann will announce early next year what the precise domain names are and who qualifies to apply for them.