Net Group Proposes Address Expansion

An international group has proposed a plan to expand the Internet’s address system to respond to controversy about the limited number of names available to publishers. The Internet International Ad Hoc Committee also proposed letting other groups register addresses for publishers and companies. Currently, Network Solutions, a Herndon, Va.-based company, is the only registrar for the more popular addresses. The committee proposed that seven new top-level domain names be added. Top-level domain names, such as .org., .com or .edu, appear at the end of an Internet site’s address, indicating whether an Internet site is an organization, business or school. By adding more domain names, the group hopes to allow more publishers and companies to apply for a larger number of Internet sites, and avoid lawsuits over popular names or brands. The IAHC was formed in October by the Internet Society, a Reston, Va.-based organization that promotes the use of the Internet.