Category: Notícies

ICANN 79 Community Forum: the annual meeting for the global internet

Posted on by Lluis Ouro

Puerto Rico was the scene for the 79thICANN Community Forum, held from 2 to 7 March. The annual event is crucial for the evolution and governance of the global internet as it brings together professionals, experts and other interested parties from around the world to address the most pressing and important matters relating to internet infrastructure and policy.

One of the main questions addressed in the meeting was the new ICANN Subsidy Programme, as well as the development of the next ICANN Strategic Plan and preparations for Universal Acceptance Day on 28 March. The latter is an initiative to promote standards and practices that guarantee compatibility with all domain names and email addresses, and to foster the implementation of these practices on a global scale to enhance the internet experience for all users.

Other key themes discussed include the management of domain names and IP addresses, the promotion of diversity and inclusion within the internet community, and the future of internet governance in a changing geopolitical context. The ICANN has been under constant scrutiny to ensure that its policies and decisions reflect the interests of all network participants, regardless of geographical location or institutional affiliation.

Besides the formal ICANN sessions, the event offered a platform for informal meetings, talks and networking between members of the internet community. These informal exchanges are essential for building ties and collaboration that can influence the future of the network.

As the network continues to evolve and grow, it is essential for the global internet community to continue collaborating and working together to guarantee a sustainable, safe and inclusive future for all internet users.

Gearing up for ICANN79

Posted on by Lluis Ouro

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has announced a programme of preparations ahead of ICANN79, with a series of sessions designed to get the ICANN community ready for the upcoming ICANN79 forum, to be held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, from 2 to 7 March 2024.

The preparatory programme for ICANN79 is being held from 20 to 22 February and includes a dozen sessions looking at various topics of interest to the ICANN community. These include updates on Universal Acceptance (UA), International Domain Names (IDN), the relationship between the ICANN board and the community and the implementation of new gTLD programmes etc.

The ICANN79 community forum is an ideal opportunity to address important topics for internet governance and the management of domain names, such as:

Domain name policies: to discuss changes and proposals for policies relating to the assignment and management of global domain names.

Network security and stability: to address cybersecurity matters and measures to ensure the stability and reliability of the internet infrastructure.

Privacy and data protection: to discuss matters relating to the privacy of internet users and the measures to protect their personal data in the context of domain names.

New domain extensions: to review requests for new domain extensions and discuss the criteria for approving and managing these.

The ICANN operates through a multilateral governance model that includes the participation of different interested parties, such as governments, companies, civil society organisations, technical and academic communities and the internet industry. The community forums organised by the ICANN are fundamental for ensuring that the decisions made benefit all internet users.

The cultural and geographical domains .barcelona, .cat, .eus and .gal meet in A Coruña

Posted on by Lluis Ouro

A Coruña recently hosted a meeting of representatives for the cultural and geographical domains of .barcelona, .cat, .eus and .gal. Held on 1 February, the meeting enabled the participants to share their plans for the future, commercial actions planned for this year and forecasts about the evolution of the market and the network.

The four domains are part of the GeoTLD group, which brings together domains with geographical, linguistic and cultural identities such as .scot (Scotland), .london and .bzh (Brittany). The group coordinates shared communication actions with the public and governing bodies for the network, such as the ICANN. Some of the most important domain registration companies also took part in the meeting, which offered the chance to work together for the future of cultural and geographical domains.

The session began with a presentation by the director of Cidade das TIC, Alfonso Martínez, on the importance of new infrastructures and decentralisation for the value of ICT industries. The decentralisation of regulating agencies was also addressed, taking the imminent opening of the AESIA in A Coruña as an example.

In the second part of the meeting, each domain set out their current situation and their plans for 2024. Topics addressed here included artificial intelligence, changes in European legislation, protecting user data, cybersecurity and cooperation amid geopolitical changes.

The meeting also served to discuss the possibility of implementing joint action, commercial action or brand measures in 2024. The session concluded with a working supper, the aim being to strengthen ties between registers and registration companies.

A new DistricteCultural.barcelona is here

Posted on by Lluis Ouro

A new edition of Barcelona Districte Cultural is here! The programme runs until 27 April and offers a chance to enjoy over 230 free shows, concerts, performing arts activities and film sessions around local community centres.

You’ll find productions from theatre companies which talk about migration, family relationships, war, love and memory. The elasticity of dance and the magic of circus also form part of the programme, courtesy of local and international companies with shows for all ages.

As for music, there are nine concerts planned in a wide variety of styles, including electronic music, pop, rap, soul and punk. For its part, the Petit Cineclub section will be screening a diverse selection of animated films which have won international awards.

Some of these options come accompanied by discussions, talks, presentations and complementary activities, and there are also special sessions for primary and secondary schools.

The full programme can be found on the website for Barcelona Districte Cultural, with free tickets already available. To stay up to date and make sure you don’t miss a thing, you can also sign up for the newsletter.

Una captura de l'espectacle de dansa 'Ego' de la companyia Humana.

Sports organisations go digital with .barcelona

Posted on by Lluis Ouro

At the .barcelona domain we’ve developed a project to help sports clubs and organisations in Barcelona to go digital. Entitled elmeuclubesportiu.barcelona, the initiative has enabled them to launch a website (or update an obsolete site) and to link their digital identity with the city’s values.

“For many this was an unresolved project they couldn’t take on for financial reasons, and this opportunity has come as a gift to them as they’ve managed to cover their needs”. Toni Burrueco is a sports promotion specialist with the Barcelona Institute for Sport and has been one of the main facilitators for this project.

The digital revolution we are immersed in forces us to adapt to new ways of consuming information. This also applies when it comes to engaging with members of organisations.

“Sports organisations and their communication have a mainly dynamic reality that transforms social media into the website for many of them. Yet a website with its own domain enables them to post content that goes well beyond the day to day, explaining who they are, what they do, their history, the connection with their surroundings… A website for a sports organisation is a diamond that needs polishing”, insists Burrueco, “it’s the gateway for discovering their work for anybody interested in taking part or joining the organisation, and even for sports rivals”.

Through Barcelona City Council, the Barcelona Institute for Sports and Fundació.cat, interested clubs without a digital presence or with an obsolete page can now get a free single-page website with photos, a description of their services, contact details and the option of showing their location on the map.Thanks to this project, municipal facilities that have launched websites include the Carlos Pérez de Rozas Municipal Baseball and Softball Ground and pioneering organisations such as the Centre for Underwater Recovery and Research. Sports associations such as Futsal Dante and the Picornell Athletic Sports and Health Club have joined others with recently created sites, such the Turó Basketball Club and Rollergrind, to become part of the .barcelona ecosystem.

.koeln and .cologne as the digital voice for Cologne

Posted on by Lluis Ouro

We spoke to Christina Boenig, the product manager for NetCologne, a network operator based in the German city of Cologne. Boenig is in charge of domain products for the company, which was the official registration agent for the .koeln and .cologne domains from 2014 to 2018. Since then, the company has specialised in marketing these two domains in collaboration with the register dotkoeln GmbH.

How many .koeln and .cologne domains have been registered to date?

We started in 2014 with some 4,000 registered domains, a figure which had risen to 5,500 when we sold the register in 2018. Today there are 4,900 registered domains, 3,273 of them registered through NetCologne and the rest with other registration companies.

What is the main mission of the .koeln and .cologne domains?

The domains are very well known in Cologne and the surrounding area. We’re connected with clients from local businesses involved in schools, associations, events and the city’s public wi-fi network, so now we focus on regionality. In other words, identifying the two domains with the attributes and values of the city.

What are the requisites for registering a .koeln or .cologne domain?

Even though the domains are focused on identifying organisations and people from the city, there are no specific restrictions other than the usual ones for any type of domain.

What are the advantages of using a .koeln or .cologne domain compared to other domain extensions?

It’s a domain that demonstrates the connection with Cologne and offers a range of assets and services in Cologne for the city’s inhabitants. In addition, as a geolocatable domain, it improves search results and as it uses the name of the city it’s easier to remember.

What have you done to promote the .koeln and .cologne domains among the local community?

We run an ongoing campaign of interviews with local heroes: we tell their business story and the reason they use a .koeln or .cologne domain. We want to present a variety of cases of different uses. From local cafes to shop owners in the city and even social involvement and content creators. We use interviews for communication on social media and we accompany them with information on the domain. We also publish them in our regular magazine for business clients. You can find the interviews at  NetCologne local heroes – YouTube. Besides local heroes, we run publicity campaigns such as vinyl on trams with slogans like “Your city, your domain” and “Those who love Cologne, show everyone”. We held a draw on social media, where you could win a surfing trip on the River Rin with the slogan “surf offline with .cologne”.

What are you doing to promote local initiatives and organisations?

In the past, we offered .koeln and .cologne domains for free or at a reduced price. While we thought this was good practice, it wasn’t so successful, as there was only a take-up of a few domains. Often there was just a re-direction. The migration of existing domains appears to be a big barrier, so what we do now is to sponsor some associations, events and organisations in Cologne, such as the literature festival  lit.COLOGNE.

Finally, how do you think the .koeln and .cologne domains contribute to the community in Cologne?

Besides being a geolocatable domain which links you with the city’s values, at NetCologne we give a lot of visibility the users of these two domains. We’re a digital voice for the city.

Visit to the registration company Nominalia to promote the .barcelona domain

Posted on by Lluis Ouro

We recently had a meeting with part of the Nominalia team at their offices in Barcelona. We spoke to Manuela Becerra, Director General of Nominalia Spain, France and Portugal, Leticia Rodríguez, Marketing Manager, Carina Peña, Sales Director, and Rebecca Saavedra, Customer Support Manager.

Nominalia is one of the official registration companies for the .barcelona domain. As you know, all domains must be registered through a company accredited by the ICANN and cannot be purchased directly. For more information on registration and resale companies read this article.

For the .barcelona domain we made the most of the occasion to present the new stage we recently embarked on with a new image. This was the perfect moment to work on the formula for developing joint initiatives to raise public awareness and understanding with regard to the city domain. This collaboration could include awareness campaigns, promotional and training action to highlight the unique benefits of choosing the .barcelona domain.

During the meeting we also talked about the positive impact that integrating artificial intelligence can have in the creation of website and the boost this can provide in the promotion of domains such as .barcelona.

We embark on a new chapter with a new image

Posted on by Lluis Ouro

The .barcelona domain enters a new chapter and adopts a new image with a light-hearted visual universe full of character.

With its main character created from a dot, the new image is the result of a strategic realignment to adapt us to the current context and position the .barcelona domain as an essential element for projects linked to the city.

The .barcelona domain is making a qualitative leap to add greater value to digital products which use it. In this respect .barcelona is not just any domain, not just an extension, but a way of boosting your projects and giving them their own meaning.

The new image has a multiplying effect, with a common identifier, boosting projects with .barcelona domains as part of a dynamic, innovative, vital, committed and optimistic community. If it happens in Barcelona, it’s got a .barcelona domain.