TLD type GeoTLD Intended use See article | Status delegated | |
Introduced Officially introduced in 2014 Registry dotBERLIN GmbH & Co. KG Sponsor dotBERLIN GmbH & Co. KG | ||
.berlin (dotBERLIN) is an approved top level domain (TLD) for the Internet. It is a community-based sponsored top-level domain for Berliners. According to the dotBERLIN Organization, .berlin will allow all Berliners to register their domains under .berlin
Along with TLDs such as .cat and .asia, .berlin and other new TLDs fall into the new category of GeoTLDs. The issue of new top level domains in general and .berlin in particular has been discussed at various ICANN-Meetings since 2005.
A statement by proponents of the .berlin proposal reads thus:
.berlin is the independent top-level domain of the community of Berliners (on) the Internet. The local addresses available with this are concise and create an identity for citizens, companies, and institutions. Those providing and looking for information, goods, and services can thus intuitively come together. The .berlin domains strengthen the feeling of community amongst Berliners, improve communication, and make interaction easier, thus providing a stimulus for innovation and development. Both for Berliners and for non-Berliners, places called Berlin become more attractive as a place to visit, as a commercial location and as a place to live.
On October 31, 2013, dotBERLIN GmbH & Co. KG signed a registry agreement with ICANN for .berlin. berlin officially launched on March 18, 2014. Managing director of dotBERLIN is Dirk Krischenowski.