The commercial launch of .cloud domain started in the middle of November and was exclusive for trademark holders. The preferred registration phase has gathered more than 2,000 orders and near to 200 domain names received multiple requests. This will be appointed via auctions by the Italian hosting firm, Aruba.
A .cloud domain name cannot be obtained from the recently launched in Google Domains site. However, most vendors have their support for the new top-level domain or TLD which include 1and1 and GoDaddy, as cited on Domain Name Wire. It could be that .cloud may become the sensational new TLD for cloud computing startups. TLD's like .io, .ly, and .ai had been released already, and now's the time to register a .cloud name while still available at low price, reports VentureBeat.
According to CloudPro, a .cloud domain can be registered by businesses to websites to associating their brands, products, or even services with the cloud. The new domain can now replace common suffixes including .com, .net, or .uk. Almost 70 registrars or more globally are ready to accept orders for .cloud registrations which also include Name.com, OVH, Domain.com and Gandi. Some of the first companies that registered for a .cloud domain name are Canonical, Ubuntu maker, Weebly which is a platform for blogging and e-commerce. Among others are Odin which provides cloud software and ePages which is an online shopping software firm.
Francesco Cetraro, head of registry operations for .cloud, said: "We have been thrilled with the response to date: first with the wide level of interest in our pioneer programme, which turned out to be one of the best-subscribed to date. The priority phases were also very well subscribed, showing there is a clear interest among companies and individuals to get access to a modern domain extension that helps them better reflect their business capabilities and position their brands in a unique and powerful way."
Other cloud service startups that signed are ClouDesire, FashionCloud together with FoodCloud that assists businesses to redeliver excess food to charities that feed people.
Iseult Ward, co-founder of Food.Cloud said that it will boost the identity of the brand, as mentioned by the Inquirer. ".cloud synced perfectly with our company name and brand. By using .cloud we can clearly explain to the public and our key audiences what we do and how our app and web-based business is powered by the cloud," she said.
Even though cities and prominent sectors are already accepted, large companies have been criticized by the government and open internet campaigners. One of the companies includes Amazon that would buy generic domains like .cloud and .books.
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