11 Apr 2012 07:00
For immediate release
0700hrs 11 April 2012
Top Level Domain Holdings Limited
("TLDH", the "Company" or "Group")
Award of DOT LONDON® contract
The Directors of Top Level Domain Holdings Limited (AIM:TLDH.L), the only publicly traded company focused exclusively on acquiring and operating new generic top-level domains ("gTLDs"), are pleased to report that Minds and Machines Limited, the London-based, wholly-owned subsidiary of TLDH, has been exclusively appointed by Dot London Domains Limited ("DLDL"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of London & Partners Limited ("London & Partners"), the official promotional organisation for London, to (i) assist with DLDL's application to the Internet's governing body, ICANN, for DLDL to be appointed registry operator of a new gTLD for London ("dot London") and, (ii) if the application is successful, provide registry services for the dot London domain to DLDL and on its behalf (the "Contract").
The Contract, won by Minds and Machines Limited through a competitive tender process, is for a seven year period (the "Term"), with a three year renewal period which is subject to certain conditions.
Gordon Innes, CEO at London & Partners, said:
"We are delighted to be working with Minds and Machines on the dot London Application and are confident that the initiative will bring important additional revenue and jobs to the capital. The dot London domain provides a tremendous opportunity to extend the global presence of London across the Internet, and likewise position it as a centre of digital innovation. We believe we are now excellently placed to benefit from the unprecedented opportunities provided by the de-regulation of the Internet naming system."
ICANN's application window for domain registrants closes on 12 April 2012. It is expected that ICANN will take up to 7 months to review applications with the first new gTLDs anticipated to come online in late 2012.
Peter Dengate Thrush, Chairman of TLDH, commented:
"We are proud to be partnering with one of the greatest cities in the world. We are committed to working with London & Partners and DLDL to ensure that dot London becomes a central part of the city's promotion and a resource that is of real value to the people, businesses and communities of London. We are honored to have won this contract in the Olympic year which places London at the centre of a global audience."
The Board expects that ICANN will publish those applications which ICANN considers complete and ready for evaluation by ICANN on or around 30 April, following which the Board will provide further information on those applications submitted by the Company on its own and clients' behalf which have been approved for evaluation.
Further Information:
Top Level Domain Holdings Limited
North America
Antony Van Couvering Tel: + 1 917 406 7126
Beaumont Cornish Limited (Nomad) Tel +44 (0) 20 7628 3396
Roland Cornish
Michael Cornish
XCAP Securities plc (Joint Broker) Tel: +44 (0) 20 3216 2661/2667
Karen Kelly
Halimah Hussain
Daniel Stewart & Company plc (Joint Broker) Tel: +44 (0) 20 7776 6550
Martin Lampshire
gth media relations
Toby Hall /Suzanne Johnson Walsh Tel: +44 (0) 20 3103 3903/2
Or visit the group's website at www.tldh.org
About Top Level Domain Holdings Limited
Top Level Domain Holding is a publicly traded holding company listed on the London AIM market. The company is focused on the new top-level domain space. Top-level domains, such as .com, run by VeriSign (NASDAQ: VRSN), and .biz, run by NeuStar (NYSE: NSR), are regulated by ICANN. ICANN has announced plans to expand the number of top-level domains. TLDH intends to make targeted investments in this space, focusing on both infrastructure technologies and specific top-level domains.
About Minds + Machines, http://mindsandmachines.com
Minds + Machines is a registry services provider that works internationally with commercial organisations, cities, not-for-profits and entrepreneurs to secure and operate new web domains, known as top-level domains (TLDs). Minds and Machines Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Top Level Domains Holdings Limited.
The DOT LONDON words are a trade mark.
ENDS