The ccTLD for Singapore, .sg, will soon feature wholly numeric domain names. Domains with numbers in have been permitted before, but this is the first time that domains containing only numerals will be permitted. The .sg registry, SGNIC (Singapore Network Information Centre), is planning to follow the trend of releasing the new Domain Names in two waves.

The sunrise period will give companies with registered trademarks the priority, although anyone will be able to apply for a Domain Name. Domain names with more than one applicant will go through a bidding process to determine who the buyer will be. The landrush period will follow, during which the domain names will be freely available to register on a first-come, first-served basis. Some domains will be automatically more expensive to buy because they are clearly very attractive, including single-digit domain names.

Apparently, the restriction on all-number domains was a throwback from the early days of the internet, when there were concerns that fully numeric domains would be confused with IP addresses. Singapore follows the lead of other registries in China and South Korea who have also recently decided to implement number-only domains.