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Complete Estonian alphabet coverage for national domain .ee

“Continuation of development of the Estonian national domain .ee functionality is the Estonian Internet Foundation’s priority and the next step will be to ensure complete Estonian alphabet coverage for domain name registration. As language and culture carry on our traditions, the national domain .ee stresses our origins online. In other words, the national domain is a symbol of the country and its people, which is why it is vital to enable usage of the whole Estonian alphabet when registering domain names,” said Marek-Andres Kauts, Chairman of the Management Board of the Estonian Internet Foundation. “Of our specific letters – õ, ä, ö, ü, š and ž – it is the vowels that truly express the peculiarity of the Estonian language, which is why we advise everyone interested to begin thinking of beautiful Estonian names for their domains,” Kauts added.

Prior to launching this expanded alphabet registration solution it should be decided whether to offer a transitional period during which company and brand name holders will be entitled to register the relevant domain names first or to immediately open such domain name registration to everyone on a first-come, first-served basis. The estimated time of the expanded alphabet registration launch is the second or third quarter this year. The precise launch date will be determined when the submitted offers are analysed. Registration and usage of domain names with the specific letters of the Estonian alphabet will be voluntary for all.

The procurement also includes creation of the portal for registrants, offering them all the information about their domains in one place, including registration duration and contact details of the registrar. The project is financed by the European Regional Development Fund.

“If the website is the house, then the domain is the address of the house. Domain names are unique.” For details go to www.internet.ee.

The Estonian Internet Foundation is the organisation founded by the Government of the Republic of Estonia and the Estonian Association of Information Technology and Telecommunications with the purpose of management of Estonian top-level domain names (.ee). Domain rules and fees applicable to .ee, pri.ee, com.ee, fie.ee and med.ee are approved subject to consensus by the 6-member Council of the Estonian Internet Foundation Half of the council members are appointed by the Estonian Association of Information Technology from among representatives of different communities (Avo Ots, Taavi Talvik, Erki Urva) and half – by the government (Maria Värton, Jaak Anton, Jaanus Tehver).