A pair of new TLDs will become available for brands to register over the next six weeks: The Sunrise Period for .DOT is set to begin on July 21, followed by .FLY on September 1.
.DOT is the latest TLD from DISH DBS. Readers in the United States may recognize DISH from its Dish Network and SlingTV satellite television services. They’ve been active in the domain industry this year, launching .LATINO[1] in May and .MOBILE[2] last June.
DISH holds seven other TLDs for which registration has not been made available[3], including potentially the potentially relevant .PHONE and .DATA.
DISH’s marketing for .DOT places it in the technology category: Their website[4] advertises it as a TLD for start-ups, open source, agents, vibe coding and tech. The TLD is unrestricted and there will be no need for applicants to prove any connection to such services.
In this niche, the defensive value is limited. Brands closely aligned with technology services may be well-served placing an order for their matching .DOT domain. Whether the brand opted to register a .DEV domain several years back could serve as a litmus test.
There is upside for .DOT for English-speaking markets, in which a domain name would be pronounced “something dot dot.” If that linguistic feature proves sufficient to bring .DOT to relevance in the crowded field of domain extensions, then defensive registration would become a consideration for a wider selection of brands.
Google needs no introduction and many readers will be familiar with their successful foray into TLD operation. Its .APP extension has almost 1.8 million domains under management and the aforementioned .DEV has over 800,000.
There has been no marketing for .FLY, but it’s a clear defensive registration target for any airline. The English meaning of FLY as “move quickly” has also led brands to incorporate the word in their own product names. This would be another subset of brands that would be advised to consider registering their .FLY in Sunrise.
If the reader manages a brand portfolio that would be well-served by the addition of a .DOT or .FLY domain, we encourage you to reach out to IP Twins now for pricing and conditions. Sunrise is the best opportunity to reserve brand-matching domains with minimal competition and at a fair price.
About IP Twins
For more than twenty years, IP Twins has been helping brand owners protect and enhance their digital assets. Our teams support clients throughout the entire domain name lifecycle, from defensive registrations and new gTLD Sunrise registrations to domain name monitoring, cybersquatting recovery, phishing mitigation, and broader online brand protection.
With the launch of new extensions such as .DOT and .FLY, IP Twins can assist you in:
- assessing whether a Sunrise registration is strategically relevant for your brand portfolio;
- verifying your eligibility through the Trademark Clearinghouse (TMCH);
- securing your domain names during the Sunrise Period;
- developing a tailored domain name protection strategy across new and existing TLDs.
If you are considering registering your brand in .DOT, .FLY, or any other new gTLD, the IP Twins team is available to advise you and manage the registration process on your behalf.
Notes
[1] .LATINO: a new extension for an identity without borders – IP Twins
[2] Launch of .MOBILE — The Domain for a Connected World – IP Twins