NGO | ONG - New TLD for Non-Profits

This March, two new gTLDs will arrive on the scene: .NGO and .ONG. These domain extensions are designed to support the large community of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and non-profits around the world. NGO and ONG (the translated equivalent for French, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish speaking countries) will be exclusive domains for validated NGOs only.

Domain management and brand protection is just as important for a non-profit as it is for commercial businesses. If you run an NGO or non-profit organization we recommend adding the .NGO|.ONG extensions to your domain portfolio.

Benefits of .NGO|.ONG

Trust and Validation
Since .NGO|.ONG will be exclusively available to the NGO community, it can help distinguish your NGO as a validated and genuine organization within the crowded digital world. With these domain names comes credibility and a great way to strengthen your brand.

Global Reach
.NGO and .ONG will be sold as a bundled domain package. When a NGO registers either an .NGO or .ONG domain name, they will automatically receive both extensions (at no additional cost). This packaged solution allows you to establish your brand and make your cause known in countries around the world.

Visibility
As an .NGO|.ONG domain holder, you will be automatically entered into an exclusive NGO directory which includes a customizable online profile for your organization. Your profile will help you find and share information with other NGOs across the globe, promote your organization to potential donors and partners, interact with like-minded organizations and raise funds online to support your cause.

More information including eligibility requirements, launch phases and costs can be found at: http://www.lexsynergy.com/tlds/ngo and http://www.lexsynergy.com/tlds/ong

If you are interested in registering an .NGO|.ONG domain name please email support@lexsynergy.com and one of our team members will be in touch.

.BANK Webinar Presented by Lexsynergy

Global domain name management and online brand protection specialists Lexsynergy Limited announced today that it will be hosting an informative webinar which will provide a comprehensive overview of .BANK.

.BANK is the domain name extension that will be used to create a protected, trusted, more secure and easily identifiable space on the Internet for the global banking community and the customers it serves.

Daniel Greenberg, Founder and Director of Lexsynergy, said “This webinar will explain the .BANK launch program and provide essential information to assist banks to develop a strategy for this domain name extension.”

The webinar will take place on February 18, 2015 at 2:00pm EST. It will be led by Daniel Greenberg, Founder and Director of Lexsynergy, along with Craig Schwartz, Managing Director of fTLD Registry Services, LLC (the official registry of .BANK). 

Greenberg and Schwartz will cover topics such as who qualifies for a .BANK domain name and what registration and verification processes are involved in securing a .BANK domain name.

Anyone interested in learning more about .BANK can register for the webinar by emailing webinar@lexsynergy.com.

Lexsynergy Limited is an ICANN accredited registrar (IANA ID 1466) with its head office in the UK (company No. 05992211) and global offices in Austria, Australia, South Africa and the United States.

.PORN and .ADULT Sunrise Launch – 2 March 2015

About .PORN and .ADULT
ICM Registry (the same Registry that manages .XXX) is launching two new adult entertainment TLDs: .PORN and .ADULT.  Similar to .XXX, these new TLDs will create a clearly marked place where adult entertainment can be both accessed and avoided.

Relevance to Trademark Owners
.PORN and .ADULT may pose a risk to trademark owners as unauthorized registrations could associate your mark with undesirable content. Excessive action is not necessary but a strategic approach is recommended to ensure core marks are secured with these TLDs.

This approach involves taking advantage of the TMCH SUNRISE or SUNRISE B phase.

Launch Dates
.PORN and .ADULT will launch in four phases:

Phase 1: TMCH Sunrise (2 March 2015 – 1 April 2015) - 16:00 UTC (start and end time)
SMD file issued by the Trademark Clearinghouse (TMCH) required.

Phase 2: Sunrise B (6 April 2015 – 30 April 2015) - 16:00 UTC (start and end time)
Registrants who participated in the Sunrise B phase for .XXX, during 2011, will have the ability to register directly matching strings in .PORN and .Adult

Phase 3: Landrush (6 May 2015 – 31 May 2015) - 16:00 UTC (start and end time)
.XXX registrants have a priority ability to register the directly matching .PORN and .ADULT if still available after TMCH Sunrise.

Phase 4: General Availability (4 June 2015 – onward)
Registrations are processed on a first come, first served basis. .PORN, .ADULT and .XXX can be registered and transferred independently from each other.

Login and register your .PORN and .ADULT domain names at www.lexsynergy.com. Lexsynergy is a .PORN and .ADULT accredited registrar.

For more information or if you wish to discuss a brand protection strategy for these TLDs email support@lexsynergy.com or call +442081331319.

KE Disputes (Update)

As previously reported on our blog Kenya has launched its Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) for .KE domains in order to offer an alternative to approaching local court for relief.

The .KE ADR provides for mediation.

ADR Step by Step

1. File Complaint with the Registry, who will check for compliance with the ADR Policy and forward it to the Respondent.

2. Respondent is given 20 days to respond.

3. If no response is received the Complainant may apply for a summary award within 10 days.

4. If the Respondent files a response the Complainant has 5 days to reply.

5. Within 3 days of receiving a reply or response the Registry commences mediation. Should the mediation fail to achieve a resolution the complaint is referred to a panel of one or three arbitrators.

The implementation of this new ADR will make it easier for brand owners to protect their trade mark rights in Kenya.

Lexsynergy has a local presence in Kenya and can assist with co.ke and other .KE domain name disputes.

Email brandprotection[at]lexsynergy.com for more information.

.PHARMACY – a seal of quality for shopping for drugs online

Shopping for medication online has proven to be a difficult task for consumers until now as the distinction between reliable sources of legitimate pharmaceutical drugs and rogue sellers has not been an obvious one.

Consumers, not aware of ordering their medication from a rogue seller have, until now, been putting their health at severe risk.

How will .PHARMACY make a difference?

The launch of the top-level domain .pharmacy on  15 January 2015 will help change the face of online prescription drug shopping as consumers will now have a safe channel to purchase their medication. Customers will now be able to purchase their prescription drugs without running the risk of receiving inferior medication.

When the National Association of Boards of  Pharmacy (NABP) reviewed the 10, 000 different online medical stores they found that at least 97% of these did not comply with the United States medical laws and practice standards and sold dangerous, counterfeit drugs to unsuspecting consumers.

What are the benefits of .PHARMACY?

With a .PHARMACY domain name you will:

• be able to separate your online pharmacy, product or service from all the counterfeit online merchants. 
• become part of a community that will contribute to protecting consumers from buying illegal and harmful drugs. 
• build an online brand for your company

By legitimizing your brand with the .PHARMACY domain name, your customers will know that your products are safe to purchase and that your business complies with the NABP.

Who can register .PHARMACY?

The following organisations from the global pharmacy community can register .Pharmacy:

• Pharmacies
• Pharmacy Benefit Managers
• Prescription Drug Information and Pharmacy Referral Sites
• Prescription Drug Related Patient Advocacy and Consumer Education Sites
• Medical Professionals’ Offices
• Schools or Colleges of Pharmacy
• Continuing Pharmacy Education Providers
• Wholesale Drug Distributors
• Pharmaceutical Manufacturers

How can I register my .PHARMACY domain name?

All registrants within the .pharmacy gTLD are vetted prior to registration to confirm that they meet all applicable regulatory standards,
This vetting phase includes:

• verification of pharmacy licensure 
• valid prescription requirements, in the jurisdictions where they are based 
• evaluation for adherence to program standards, which includes a review of the website and required documentation, as well as
• verification of license(s), and other credentials. 

NABP is partnering with international regulators to evaluate international applicants for compliance with all relevant laws.

Lexsynergy is an accredited ICANN registrar which means that we can help you register your .pharmacy domain name.

For more information please email support@lexsynergy.com and one of our team members will be in touch.