.SAARLAND Gets Set To Launch… A Little Differently

Another geographical gTLD is set to launch in the coming months with a slightly different Landrush period. Some gTLDs are open to everyone (.berlin) or everyone after preferences are given to businesses and individuals in the Landrush (.london) while others are restricted to businesses and individuals within the city (.nyc).

But .saarland, the gTLD for the Saarland region in south west Germany, has done things a little different. First is the typical Sunrise period (17 July to 15 September) that will include Sunrise A for those registered with the Trademark Clearinghouse and Sunrise B for officially registered companies, associations and statutory corporations in Saarland. Starting at the same time, but for a shorter period, will be a Founders Programme (17 July to 16 August) where businesses and individuals with innovative ideas can apply for their preferred domain. More details are to come but the idea is that the registry operator wants registrants to think a little differently on how they use their .saarland domain. The applications for domain names will be judged by an independent panel chosen by the dotSaarland e.V.

Following the Founders Programme is the Landrush (23 September to 22 October) that allows priority registrations for individuals and legal entities that have no brand, but still want an early, preferred access to a particular domain. During the Landrush applications from the Saarland are favoured in order to further promote the regional character of the TLD. The Landrush will be created as an application process and not carried out according to the “first come, first served” principle: In case of multiple, valid applications for the same domain name, there will be a closed auction between the applicants.

Then from 30 October will be the General Availability on 30 October where .saarland domains will become available for registration by all interested parties in accordance with the “first come, first served” principle. Non-binding and free for pre-orders for .SAARLAND domains can already be submitted with several registrars.

All .SAARLAND registration applications in the Sunrise, Landrush and General Availability must be submitted through an .SAARLAND accredited registrar. Applications for registrations in the Founders Program will be submitted directly to the dotSaarland GmbH. For further information about the launch phases of .SAARLAND, please visit: www.nic.saarland/en/domain/launch-phases.