Internet body approves new web suffixes

A global body that charts the course of the internet has voted to allow the creation of new website domain suffixes by private companies, members said.

The board of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) voted in favour of the proposal at a meeting in Singapore despite fears that opening up new suffixes based on corporate brands could cause some confusion.

"ICANN has opened the Internet's naming system to unleash the global human imagination," ICANN chief executive Rod Beckstrom said.

"Today's decision respects the rights of groups to create new top level domains in any language or script.
"We hope this allows the domain name system to better serve all of mankind."

The decision to allow for more dynamic website domain suffixes follows many years of discussion, debate and deliberation with the Internet community, business groups and governments.

Applications for new generic domain names will be accepted from January 12, 2012 until April 12, 2012.