New .swiss domain names: 9'738 applications received
Biel/Bienne, 19.11.2015 - The initial registration period for the new .swiss internet addresses closed on 9 November 2015. 9'738 applications were received. The list of valid candidatures is available from today on the nic.swiss site. Interested parties now have 20 days to submit a rival application or make comments. The Federal Office of Communications OFCOM will assign uncontested addresses at the end of this period and will process disputes. The general phase opens on 11 January 2016 and will allow submission of new applications for .swiss domain names.
Of the 9'738 applications submitted since the opening of registration of .swiss domain names on 7 September 2015, 7'071 applications are included in the list published today by OFCOM on the www.nic.swiss site. The other candidatures did not meet the basic criteria defined for the first phase, which was reserved for public bodies, trademarks protected in Switzerland, indications of provenance and other company names or names of associations and foundations entered in the commercial register.
Interested parties now have 20 days, by 9 December at the latest, to notify any comments on the domain names which have been applied for or to submit a rival application if they also meet the criteria. At the end of this period, OFCOM will assign accepted .swiss addresses. It will then carry out a thorough examination of the other dossiers to determine if the comments submitted are relevant and preclude assignment. If there are multiple applications for the same domain name, priority will be given to public bodies over holders of trademark rights over company names associated with the domain name. Rival applications which originate from the same category of applicants will be processed individually. As a last resort, an auction or a non-assignment decision will enable resolution of these cases.
General phase opens 11 January 2016
Until the general phase, which opens on 11 January 2016, OFCOM will only be dealing with rival applications. After this date, in addition to the public bodies and entities registered in the commercial register, associations and foundations which are not entered in the commercial register will also be able to apply for a .swiss domain name. After preliminary evaluation of the application, OFCOM will publish applications for 20 days on a weekly basis, in order to take into account any rival applications or comments before a definitive assignment.
Applications may also relate to generic names, such as hotel.swiss or watch.swiss. They will then have to meet special conditions in order to guarantee that they are put at the disposal of an entire sector or community concerned.
Address for enquiries
Federal Office of Communications OFCOM
Press service, +41 58 460 55 50, media@bakom.admin.ch
Publisher
Federal Office of Communications
http://www.ofcom.admin.ch
