The following is a list of some of the more frequently asked questions we get about .ECO. If you can’t find what you’re looking for here, please feel free to contact us directly.

Will anyone be able to buy a .ECO domain name?

Yes, but. We believe that .ECO can become a badge of commitment to sustainability. This means that anyone who registers a .ECO domain name will need to make a statement about their commitment to sustainability, and show how they are acting on that commitment by being transparent about their impact. So while anyone can register, keeping a .ECO will require real progress toward sustainability.

Does that mean .ECO could become too hard to get or end up turning into a green niche?

No. Putting these standards in place will make sure .ECO qualifies for protection as a community domain under ICANN’s rules. The Community Council has worked hard to ensure that .ECO will not be overly exclusive, while still being a trusted badge of sustainability.

How will you make sure people with .ECO domain names are really sustainable?

By working continuously with our community to protect this global resource. The Community Council spent over two years working on how to make sure a stringent accountability mechanism is in place for .ECO. In addition, Deloitte has been advising the Council on how to design a system that makes technical and financial sense. Learn more about the .ECO policy development process.

How can I buy a .ECO domain name?

Easily. You will be able to buy .ECO names from the same places where you buy any other web domain.

How much will .ECO names cost?

We won’t have a full picture of our costs until after we apply for .ECO. However, our goal is to price .ECO domains to be market competitive with other large top level domains like .COM or .ORG. This is key to keeping them accessible to small business and individuals around the world.

Will you give back to the sustainability community?

Yes. We are working with the community to create an independent foundation that will allocate a significant portion of the sales of .ECO names to groups working to achieve sustainable development, based on a foundation model that our community has developed.

Will the registration website be available in other languages?

Yes. It is critical people are able to register .ECO names and complete their eco-profiles in their own language. Long before launch, we will be working with our technical partners to build a multi-lingual .ECO system. We’d welcome your comments in support of this.

How will you handle rights protection issues?

Carefully and well. We plan to use a pioneering system that will ensure existing rights are protected, costs are minimized and domain squatting is prevented or remedied promptly. That way only the appropriate rights-owner will be able to own the .ECO domain for that name.

Will I be able to run a .ECO domain and another web domain name at the same time?

Yes. Owning a .ECO name doesn’t mean you have to give up your other sites. It can be a handy place to store your sustainability information, as well as being a simple way to tell people where that information is displayed.

Or it could be for your portfolio of green products. It’s up to the user what they want to do with their .ECO websites, so long as they fill out an eco-profile.

Will other people apply for .ECO?

It is up to us as environmentalists, social advocates, and sustainability professionals to work together to find the best model for .ECO. We believe that .ECO is best protected as a community domain. That is why so many groups have come together around this application.

When will we see .ECO up and running?

Our community will apply for .ECO in April 2012. A key part of this is submitting documentation proving we are a community.  The actual launch date depends on how long it takes ICANN to process our application.

What is a Top Level Domain (TLD)?

A Top Level Domain, or TLD, is the group of letters that follow the final dot of any domain name. For example, in the domain name www.example.eco, the top-level domain is ‘ECO’.

Who operates a TLD?

Management of most TLDs is delegated to entities called ‘registries’ by ICANN. We are applying to act as the registry for .ECO.

What is ICANN?

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is an organization that runs the community-driven processes that keep the Internet secure, stable and interoperable. This includes developing policy for the domain name system (DNS).

What is the domain name system (DNS)?

The DNS is a naming system for anything participating in the Internet (like a company, product or personal website). It translates domain names meaningful to humans into the numbers used by machines to locate these participants anywhere in the world. For example, www.example.eco (for humans) translates to 208.77.188.166 (for machines).

Do we need more TLDs?

Yes. Many of us have been through the frustration of trying to buy a decent domain name for our business, company, organization or even ourselves. The reality is that most of the good ones are taken by others or by speculators who charge a premium.

.ECO will open up a whole new suite of domains that will make it easier for eco-friendly businesses, organizations and people to find each-other and brand themselves online. You can learn more about why new TLDs are coming from ICANN’s new TLD program page.