New Top Level Domains
The Internet’s domain name system allows users to refer to websites and other resources using names, like www.google.com, rather than the all-numeric IP addresses, such as 192.0.34.65, that are assigned to each computer. Each domain name is made up of character strings separated by dots. The right-most label in a domain name is referred to as its Top Level Domain (TLD).
The first TLDs registered included .com, .org and .net. They were soon followed by country code TLDs like .uk, .au and .de. In the early 2000s experimental TLDs like .biz, .info and .museum were registered.
In 2011 the internet regulatory authority agreed to expand TLDs to included any extension desired.
Applications for new TLDs closed in March 2012 and .physio was one of the 1,930 applications for over 1,400 unique new TLDs accepted for application.
.The .physio TLD story
Somewhat symbolically, .physio was born at the 2011 World Confederation for Physical Therapists Congress in Amsterdam. Whilst reading the European edition of the The Wall Street Journal over a hotel breakfast, Glenn Ruscoe noticed a small article reporting of plans to expand the internet domain name system.
Glenn immediately foresaw a day when .physio would be available and he could change the domain name of his practice’s website to be shorter and more specific.
Enthused by the prospect his mind quickly moved on to other opportunities such as registering his own name, the location of his practice and his areas of clinical specialty. He then began to realise the broader benefits to the profession; an internet identity unique to physiotherapy would help unite and raise the profile of the profession across the world.
Who would make .physio available? Unable to come up with an answer Glenn contacted the Australian Physiotherapy Association and the World Confederation for Physical Therapists to alert them of this fantastic opportunity. Both organisations recognised the value of the initiative but were unable to participate directly. So in the spirit of do-it-yourself Glenn created a company, wrote a business plan and with a second mortgage on his house made an application to ICANN to be the registry operator for the .physio TLD.
To manage the volume of applications ICANN undertook a priority draw to determine the order of assessment and processing – .physio emerged at number 929. But being the sole application and with no contentions, objections or clarifications tabled, .physio move adhead of many other TLDs; until a six month delay in late 2013 due to advice form ICANNs Government Advisory Committed seeking greater safeguards for regulated professions. Eventually all was resolved and 1 May 2014 the contract to be the registry operator for the .physio TLD was signed with ICANN and on 19 June 2014 .physio was the 310’th new TLD to be delegated to the Internet.
A launch program was set to facilitate a fair, orderly and equitable introduction for .physio, so as to find the right balance between community benefit, early mover advantage and proper protection of intellectual property rights. Subsequently, access to registration became available on 1st September 2014 through stages of Sunrise, Landrush (5 November 2014) and General Availability (6 December 2014).