As everybody anticipates another new domain extension (.tel domains) launch late this year, people who know the business of domaining also know it is a perfect time to own a domain that is not necessarily "theirs." I'm talking about domain squatting or the process of acquiring domains without any intentions of using it purposely but rather keep it until the real owners approach them to buy it at their dictated price. Domain squatting is a real big issue in the world of internet domains.

Right now I can already tell you several names that might very well be prime targets for .tel domain squatting. Practically all companies whose name ends with -tel can be victims if they don't wise up and register their trademarks in time. Additionally, all telecommunications companies may also be victims if they don't grab .tel domains during the prescribed time. Think about Verizon.tel or Bellsouth.tel or Cingular.tel... Aren't these domains stuff domain squatters would die for?

The thing that makes this issue a bigger one that it should is that .tel domains aren't getting much attention from the people that should know about it. If the evil guys get to them first, it should be another interesting legal issue. I bet some domains squatters are already drooling for .tel domains by now.

For the people who now understand the concept of .tel domains being able to store contact information, a tad bit of skepticism comes to mind when it comes to privacy. There's just so many opportunitists out there waiting to pounce on other people's private information. Spammers use email addresses for their trade. Scammers use other's data to trick people.

Telnic Communications Director Justin Hayward, however, dispproves all speculations by pronouncing that the .tel system is completely private and would not be infiltrated by unathorized persons. The .tel domain owners will have the power to publish only the contact information they wish to be made public over the web and keep "more personal information" known only to those they authorize like friends, family, business contacts and customers. Users can protection their data using 1028-bit encryption and mask their details to casual users while allowing friends and family full access.

Although there is no fool-proof system in the world, I firmly believe that Telnic's system after several years of development for the .tel domains will be reliable enough and with careful testing should be a very useful domain to have. The .tel domains usefulness far outweigh the negatives.

After receiving several emailed alerts about the .tel domains launch in the next few months, I came across an opportunity to take my .tel domains experience to a new level by requesting a trial domain as part of the VIP .tel Beta Program.

I sent an email to vip@telnic.org and got a response from a nice guy named Justin Hayward. He was nice enough to tell me he's including me in the list of something. Well, I guess its better than nothing. LOL
A .tel domain will enable users to store all their contact information and keywords in one single page. This is pretty useful if you've got so many ways of being contacted: email, several phone numbers, chat, pagers, online webpages and social network pages. This would be particularly useful if you're known to be an expert at doing something or at least want to be searched for a specific job task. For example, you can indicate in your .tel domain keywords specs as S.E.O. or publicist or web designer. The .tel domains allow users to embed specific keywords they choose so other people and especially customers can find them on the web by search engine searches.

I'm really excited for this .tel domain lauch! If my application gets approved, I might be the First Filipino ever to own a .tel domain. I'll keep my fingers crossed! LOL

I been blogging about the 2 latest domain extensions that domain handlers have been claiming are "personal." First, dot me domains have been the rave in recent times. So much have been written and said about this ccTLD of Montenegro which publicists say have broken domain application records and just became the most successful domain extension launch in history. In my mind however, I doubt there's any substance to .me domains being "personal." I'm my opinion, if you want to get personal with all your readers, there are tons of better ways to get personal. I doubt attaching a .me extension to your domain name would do the trick.

.TEL domains however, is a domain extension that would tell more about you than a .me domain! This domain extension can prove to be as personal as you can get with your audience. Imagine listing all your possible contact details in one streamlined page that people will be able to find you through the page and contact you by all your listed means. It's a digital yellow page. It's your digital calling card. It's your place online! I highly doubt there's any other better way to get personal with anybody online than buying .tel domains!

If everything turns out well with its development, .TEL domains will be a big hit in 2009 and I'm betting on it. I firmly believe that .tel domains will be one of the most important AND critical domain names to own.

This month alone, I have seen a spike in web content about .tel domains which are set to launch by March of 2009. So much has been written and a lot of authors and domainers alike are raving about the usefulness of this unique domain name.

Here are a few juicy sneak peeks at this aweso.me domain extension, videos write-ups and all.

Tel domains video demo for businesses

Tel domains video demo for individuals

Tel domains Simulator - a nice trial to sample how .tel works!

Tel domains Launch Information

If you're looking to register .tel domains as soon they are available, EurDNS offers them for early registrars in the Sunrise period, Landrush and in the general public launch in march 2009. For those who want to grab some premium .tel domains, they are best to register in the landrush period before anybody else does at EuroDNS.

About 95 percent of domain owners will tell you that the .com domain extension is the most important, desirable and critical domain name to own especially if you've got an online business. The .TEL domains however, will be the next big thing!

In the business world and with any aspect of effective human relationships, communications is key. The same importance is given to the channels through which communicating is done but in today's world of multiple means of connecting with people, it is important that your communication channels are well propagated online especially when you do business in the internet. People, mostly importantly your customers, will probably try to reach you in several ways that are probably scattered all over, constantly changing and no one place to store it at.

.TEL domains will resolve that. With a simple, searchable and streanlined web page, everyone will be able to find you and your contact details with a simple click. One click and applications and plugins will allow the user's application enabled device to contact you directly.
Quite a few people have been raving about this innovation in internet domains. The .tel domains will not be something people can be creative with but for anybody who values customers and contacts as an essential part of their business, buying .tel domains for their websites is a must.