Since Kenya started having its own domain extension, it has always been a third level domain, that is .co.ke or .ac.ke. The Kenya Network Information Center (KeNIC) announced the launch of .ke second level domain on twitter.
The second level domain is the part of the domain name that comes immediately after the dot on the extension. For instance name.ke .
The .ke second level domain will be introduced in the 4 phases described below:
- Sunrise Period. – A ninety day period from the 23rd of July to 22nd of October when Trademark holders will need to register domain names similar to their trademarks.
- Land Rush Period- A thirty day period after the Sunrise period, from 23rd October to 22nd November when domain names with more than one applicant will be auctioned and given to the highest bidder.
- Cooling Period- This is a thirty day period from the end of the sunrise and land rush period. This period is for the assessment of the applications and if they meet the criteria of the two phases.
- General Availability- One hundred and fifty days after the launch of the SLD (second level domain).
In the four phases, the price for a domain name varies beginning at ksh. 10,000 in the sunrise period to ksh. 8,000 in the general availability period.
According to ICAAN (Internet Cooperation for Assigned Names and Numbers) Kenya comes second after South Africa in the most successful African countries for registration of web addresses. Kenya is however the first to introduce the SLD.
Here is an announcement made by KeNIC.
“We are pleased to announce the launch of the .ke second level domain(SLD ) with the launch date set for 23rd July 2017 (sunrise period)
Please take note of the above that will allow registration of domains at the second level examples are:
- kenic.ke
- yourname.ke
Despite the introduction of the SLD, the third level domains will still be available for registration.
All companies/ businesses/ institutions/ organizations and individuals are advised to take note of this and make the necessary arrangements through their registrars to secure their second level domains.”
According to “The public-private partnership was the initial step in facilitating the growth and uptake of the Internet sub-sect ICT in Kenya.”