Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2010/11/03/nominet_short_domains/

Nominet to flog short domains

BA wannabes face auction scrap

By Team Register

Posted in Networks, 3rd November 2010 13:15 GMT

More than 2,800 very short UK domain names are to be auctioned for the first time, starting next month.

The sale will allow firms known by initials - such as BA - to acquire their most obvious .co.uk address.

Nominet, the non-profit that runs the .uk registry, has dropped its policy of witholding very short domains, which include single letters and numbers. Technical restrictions no longer apply, it said.

Beginning 1 December, trademark holders can apply for relevant addresses. The trademark must have been registered before 2008.

Where there is more than one applicant - "BA" is registered as a trademark to 42 organisations, for example - an auction will be held with profits going to the Nominet Trust, a charity.

Those very short domains not allocated to a trademark holder by 31 January 2011 will then go forward to an open "landrush" auction.

There is a full list of the addresses up for grabs here. ®