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[[Jose Rasco]], Managing Director of [[STRAAT Investments]]

[[Jose Rasco]], Managing Director of [[STRAAT Investments]]

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'''.CO Internet S.A.S.''' is a company formed by [[Arcelandia S.A.]], a Colombian company, and the U.S. company [[Neustar]] Inc., for the purpose of developing and operating the .co Internet registry; it is responsible for the promotion, administration, and technical operation of the [[.co]] [[TLD]].<ref>[http://www.cointernet.co/frequently-asked-questions/general-co-faqs CoInternet FAQ]</ref> It has been funded by, and there are staff overlaps with, the holding and investment company [[STRAAT Investments]].

'''.CO Internet S.A.S.''' is a company formed by [[Arcelandia S.A.]], a Colombian company, and the U.S. company [[Neustar]] Inc., for the purpose of developing and operating the .co registry. It is responsible for the promotion, administration, and technical operation of the [[.co]] [[TLD]].<ref>[http://www.cointernet.co/frequently-asked-questions/general-co-faqs CoInternet FAQ]</ref> It has been funded by, and there are staff overlaps with, the holding and investment company [[STRAAT Investments]].

While .co was originally the [[ccTLD]] of Colombia, .CO Internet was created to facilitate .co becoming an [[open ccTLD]], and since July, 2010, it has been available to the general public outside of Colombia.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2011-01-16-godaddy-domain_N.htm USA Today]</ref>

While .co was originally the [[ccTLD]] of Colombia, .CO Internet was created to facilitate .co becoming an [[open ccTLD]], and since July, 2010, it has been available to the general public outside of Colombia.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2011-01-16-godaddy-domain_N.htm USA Today]</ref>

.Co Internet has decided to work with only a dozen [[registrar]]s in its first year.<ref>[http://www.cointernet.co/registrars/co-registrars .Co Internet Registrars]</ref> In its first 6 months (July-January 2010), some 600,000 .co domain names were registered;<ref>[http://sullysblog.com/Lori-Anne-Wardi Sully's Blog]</ref> [[GoDaddy]] has registered about 250,000 of those.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2011-01-16-godaddy-domain_N.htm USA Today]</ref> The company has also partnered with [[Deloitte]] in order to ensure that brand owner's rights were respected throughout the registration process.<ref>[http://sullysblog.com/Lori-Anne-Wardi SullysBlog.com]</ref>

.CO Internet has decided to work with only a dozen [[registrar]]s in its first year.<ref>[http://www.cointernet.co/registrars/co-registrars .CO Internet Registrars]</ref> In its first 6 months (July-January 2010), some 600,000 .co domain names were registered;<ref>[http://sullysblog.com/Lori-Anne-Wardi Sully's Blog]</ref> [[GoDaddy]] has registered about 250,000 of those.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2011-01-16-godaddy-domain_N.htm USA Today]</ref> The company has also partnered with [[Deloitte]] in order to ensure that brand owner's rights were respected throughout the registration process.<ref>[http://sullysblog.com/Lori-Anne-Wardi SullysBlog.com]</ref>

At the beginning of 2012, when they were recognized as a World Finance 100 Business Leader of 2011, it was noted that the prior year had seen them register over 1 million addresses in 200+ countries.<ref>[http://www.worldfinance100.com/ WorldFinance100.com]</ref>

At the beginning of 2012, when they were recognized as a World Finance 100 Business Leader of 2011, it was noted that the prior year had seen them register over 1 million addresses in 200+ countries.<ref>[http://www.worldfinance100.com/ WorldFinance100.com]</ref>

==.co's History==

==.co's History==

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>

==Hype==

==Hype==

.co is expected by many to be one of the most successful new [[gTLD]]s. Its similarity to .com is referenced as one reason, while its association with the words "company", "corporation", and "commerce" in many languages is another. .co's CEO, Juan Diego Calle, notes that unlike other [[gTLD]]s, .co is not marketed directly at a niche market. So, unlike .mobi, .biz, and .info, it is both globally recognizable and versatile.<ref>[http://www.thedomains.com/2010/05/16/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-co-our-exclusive-interview-with-the-ceo-juan-calle/ TheDomains.com]</ref>

.co is expected by many to be one of the most successful new [[gTLD]]s. Its similarity to .com is referenced as one reason, while its association with the words "company", "corporation", and "commerce" in many languages is another. .co's CEO, Juan Diego Calle, notes that unlike other [[gTLD]]s, .co is not marketed directly at a niche market. So, unlike .mobi, .biz, and .info, it is both globally recognizable and versatile.<ref>[http://www.thedomains.com/2010/05/16/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-co-our-exclusive-interview-with-the-ceo-juan-calle/ TheDomains.com]</ref>

Furthermore, "co" is already being used to designate "company" within [[third-level TLD]] extensions for [[ccTLD]]s; that is, .co.uk is already a recognizable brand for companies within the United Kingdom. Thus, much of the branding effort was done before .co Internet took the extension to the open market.<ref>[http://www.thedomains.com/2010/05/16/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-co-our-exclusive-interview-with-the-ceo-juan-calle/ TheDomains.com]</ref>

Furthermore, "co" is already being used to designate "company" within [[third-level TLD]] extensions for [[ccTLD]]s; that is, .co.uk is already a recognizable brand for companies within the United Kingdom. Thus, much of the branding effort was done before .CO Internet took the extension to the open market.<ref>[http://www.thedomains.com/2010/05/16/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-co-our-exclusive-interview-with-the-ceo-juan-calle/ TheDomains.com]</ref>

===Publicity===

===Publicity===

* In '''1 month''' some '''444,977''' .co domains were registered.<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shane-snow/how-to-become-an-internet_b_705175.html The Huffington Post]</ref>

* In '''1 month''' some '''444,977''' .co domains were registered.<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shane-snow/how-to-become-an-internet_b_705175.html The Huffington Post]</ref>

===Pricing===

===Pricing===

.co Internet has received some criticism for its higher pricing strategy. Their CEO has noted that they are trying to attracted dedicated entrepreneurs and businesses that will actually develop the site as opposed to buy many cheaply priced domains and not develop them. They have stressed that they are trying to keep the quality of the .co brand high as opposed to registering extraordinary numbers of domains.<ref>[http://www.mo.com/juan-diego-calle-dot-co mo.com]</ref>

.CO Internet has received some criticism for its higher pricing strategy. Their CEO has noted that they are trying to attracted dedicated entrepreneurs and businesses that will actually develop the site as opposed to buy many cheaply priced domains and not develop them. They have stressed that they are trying to keep the quality of the .co brand high as opposed to registering extraordinary numbers of domains.<ref>[http://www.mo.com/juan-diego-calle-dot-co mo.com]</ref>

===Auctions===

===Auctions===

.co held a number of different specialized auctions to sell its premium domains, its auction services provider was [[Pool.com]].<ref>[http://domainincite.com/open-co-landrush-re-auctions-the-full-list/ Open co Landrush re-auctions, DomainIncite.com]</ref> One commentator, [[Kevin Murphy]] of [[Domain Incite]], initially guessed that .co auctions could top $10 million dollars. The actual figure is hard to verify given that they decided not to release the sale figures for porn related domains, those likely to be involved in [[UDRP]] cases, and other controversial domains.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/co-landrush-auctions-could-top-10-million/ co Landrush Auctions Could Top 10 Million, DomainIncite.com]</ref> Its auctions were confirmed to bring over 1 million, with notable sales including:

.co held a number of different specialized auctions to sell its premium domains, its auction services provider was [[Pool.com]].<ref>[http://domainincite.com/open-co-landrush-re-auctions-the-full-list/ Open co Landrush re-auctions, DomainIncite.com]</ref> One commentator, [[Kevin Murphy]] of [[Domain Incite]], initially guessed that .co auctions could top $10 million dollars. The actual figure is hard to verify given that they decided not to release the sale figures for porn related domains, those likely to be involved in [[UDRP]] cases, and other controversial domains.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/co-landrush-auctions-could-top-10-million/ co Landrush Auctions Could Top 10 Million, DomainIncite.com]</ref> Its auctions were confirmed to bring over 1 million, with notable sales including:

==Awards and Recognition==

==Awards and Recognition==

In April, 2011, it was announced that .co Internet's CEO, Juan Diego Calle, was named top technology executive of the year by the Miami Department of Commerce's "Technology Leaders of the Year Awards."<ref>[http://www.cointernet.co/blog/juan-diego-calle-named-technology-executive-year .CoInternet]</ref>

In April, 2011, it was announced that .CO Internet's CEO, Juan Diego Calle, was named top technology executive of the year by the Miami Department of Commerce's "Technology Leaders of the Year Awards."<ref>[http://www.cointernet.co/blog/juan-diego-calle-named-technology-executive-year .CoInternet]</ref>

In January, 2012, .co Internet was recognized as one of the World Finance Top 100 Business Leaders of 2011. They joined such other major companies as 3M, [[Google]], Facebook, and others. The award recognizes "the very finest businesses and business leaders over the past year," and is given to those innovative companies that are able to diversify their standing and outcompete and innovate past the competition.<ref>[http://www.circleid.com/posts/20120105_co_internet_recognized_as_world_finance_100_business_leader/ Co Internet Recognized as World Finance 100 Business Leader, CircleID.com]</ref>

In January, 2012, .CO Internet was recognized as one of the World Finance Top 100 Business Leaders of 2011. They joined such other major companies as 3M, [[Google]], Facebook, and others. The award recognizes "the very finest businesses and business leaders over the past year," and is given to those innovative companies that are able to diversify their standing and outcompete and innovate past the competition.<ref>[http://www.circleid.com/posts/20120105_co_internet_recognized_as_world_finance_100_business_leader/ Co Internet Recognized as World Finance 100 Business Leader, CircleID.com]</ref>

==Result of .co TLD to Companies==

==Result of .co TLD to Companies==