Businesses and other groups located in Asia will now have an alternative to the generic .com top-level domain, when domain name .asia is launched in stages, beginning on 9th October this year. With over 409 million internet users in Asia, the new TLD should provide a whole host of naming opportunities to the world's largest and fastest-growing internet population.

The TLD will be launched in three phases so that businesses can ensure that they will secure their trademarks rather than risk cybersquatters grabbing them first and holding these companies to ransom. Jonathan Robinson, the chief operating officer of NetNames, said: "With the .asia launch date confirmed, businesses need to ensure they protect their brands from the new threats and maximize any opportunities to build their brands in the growing Asian market. Many brands lost out in dramatic fashion during the launch of .eu because they didn’t take the issue seriously enough until the eleventh hour."

On 9th October, companies will be allowed to secure registered trademark domains, and governments will also be able to do .asia domain registration. On 13th November, the TLD will be opened up to companies who have already secured their trademarks to register additional Domain Names which are specifically related to their businesses; at the same time, registered companies with an official presence in Asia will also be able to register their domain names, even if they are not trademarked. Finally, in February 2008, the TLD will be opened to the public.

More information can be found atwww.asiadns.com.