Changes

In 1991 .co was recognized as Colombia's [[ccTLD]] by [[IANA]]. Around a decade later the Universidad de los Andes, the official registrar of .co, began to research the benefits of broadening the availability of .co for commercial purposes. This began a long back-and-forth between the University, the Colombian Ministry of Telecommunication, and [[ICANN]]. Finally, in August of 2009, the Ministry announced that it had been awarded oversight of .co as an expanded [[gTLD]].<ref>[http://www.iana.org/reports/2009/co-report-24nov2009.html IANA]</ref>

In 1991 .co was recognized as Colombia's [[ccTLD]] by [[IANA]]. Around a decade later the Universidad de los Andes, the official registrar of .co, began to research the benefits of broadening the availability of .co for commercial purposes. This began a long back-and-forth between the University, the Colombian Ministry of Telecommunication, and [[ICANN]]. Finally, in August of 2009, the Ministry announced that it had been awarded oversight of .co as an expanded [[gTLD]].<ref>[http://www.iana.org/reports/2009/co-report-24nov2009.html IANA]</ref>

===Open ccTLD===

===Open ccTLD===

The decision to make [[.co]] an [[|ccTLD#Open ccTLDs|open ccTLD]] took a decade, with .co Internet becoming involved in 2006. .co Internet have always stressed the expansion of the national .co brand as a strong entry point for Colombia into the international Internet, although it has quickly moved beyond national recognition. In a poll 80% of people considering registering domains thought that .co was short for "company", and only 3% thought that it was Colombia's [[ccTLD]].<ref>[http://www.dnjournal.com/cover/2010/november-december.htm DNJournal.com]</ref> They have successfully marketed .co as a valuable national asset to the Colombian government, and the ideal new international extension for the international Internet community.<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shane-snow/how-to-become-an-internet_b_705175.html Huffington Post]</ref><ref>[http://www.dnjournal.com/cover/2010/november-december.htm DNJournal.com]</ref>  

The decision to make [[.co]] an [[ccTLD#Open ccTLDs|open ccTLD]] took a decade, with .co Internet becoming involved in 2006. .co Internet have always stressed the expansion of the national .co brand as a strong entry point for Colombia into the international Internet, although it has quickly moved beyond national recognition. In a poll 80% of people considering registering domains thought that .co was short for "company", and only 3% thought that it was Colombia's [[ccTLD]].<ref>[http://www.dnjournal.com/cover/2010/november-december.htm DNJournal.com]</ref> They have successfully marketed .co as a valuable national asset to the Colombian government, and the ideal new international extension for the international Internet community.<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shane-snow/how-to-become-an-internet_b_705175.html Huffington Post]</ref><ref>[http://www.dnjournal.com/cover/2010/november-december.htm DNJournal.com]</ref>  

Both .co Internet's founder and CEO, [[Juan Diego Calle]], and Colombia's president, [[Juan Manuel Santos]], addressed the 39th [[ICANN]] meeting in Cartagena, Colombia. President Santos announced plans for a $2.8 billion dollar initiative to improve the nation's Internet infrastructure and quadruple the number of Internet connections. This new policy seems to be encouraged in large part thanks to the success of .co as an open ccTLD.<ref>[http://www.dnjournal.com/cover/2010/november-december.htm DNJournal]</ref>

Both .co Internet's founder and CEO, [[Juan Diego Calle]], and Colombia's president, [[Juan Manuel Santos]], addressed the 39th [[ICANN]] meeting in Cartagena, Colombia. President Santos announced plans for a $2.8 billion dollar initiative to improve the nation's Internet infrastructure and quadruple the number of Internet connections. This new policy seems to be encouraged in large part thanks to the success of .co as an open ccTLD.<ref>[http://www.dnjournal.com/cover/2010/november-december.htm DNJournal]</ref>