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For the first time a major global top level domain (gTLD) registry — Neustar — is releasing all of its one- and two-character name.

This has major implications for the way small business, etc., are going to market and advertise themselves. Going forward, Neustar is opening its global .BIZ registry to two-character domain names (e.g., NY.biz, MY.biz, I.biz). Because of the highly coveted, unique status of these domain names, Neustar has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) inviting potential .BIZ registrants to submit proposals explaining how they would use and promote a particular two-character domain name. Proposals are being accepted until September 30, 2009.

In June, Neustar accepted proposals for all 1-character .BIZ domains, including all letters and numbers. Earlier this year, Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) approved Neustar's request to release its one- and two-character second-level .BIZ domain names.

To view the RFPs and to learn more about Neustar's phased rollout of the one- and two-character domain names, please visit http://www.neustarregistry.biz/announcements/announcement.

The 1,332 one-and two-character domain names in .BIZ were originally reserved from use when the .BIZ top-level domain (TLD) was launched in 2001. Today, the .BIZ TLD has grown to over two million names, and has been a preferred TLD for businesses, brand marketers and advertisers around the world.

On Monday, Sedo, the leading online domain marketplace, announced that it has teamed with Neustar to hold an exclusive auction for the entire available catalog of one-character .BIZ domain names beginning at 12:00 noon (EDT) on September 23, 2009 and ending at 11:59 a.m. (EDT) on September 30, 2009.

About Neustar

NeuStar provides market-leading and innovative services that enable trusted communication across networks, applications, and enterprises around the world. (Learn More)

Related topics: Domain Names, Registry Services, ICANN, Top-Level Domains