Mahesh Sharma | August 05, 2008
LOCAL domain name registrar AusRegistry has taken its first global expansion steps and has signed a deal to provide services in the Middle East.
Over the weekend it began providing registry software and database maintenance services for the .ae domain name in the United Arab Emirates.
It expects to announce similar deals with neighbouring Arab countries in the next couple of weeks.
The firm's new delivery model is aimed at cashing in on the anticipated gold rush for the new generic top level domain names (gTLD).
The domain name laws have been changed to allow companies to register words after the final dot in a web address, such as .ibm, .gucci, or .microsoft.
AusRegistry is the wholesale provider of all commercial and non-commercial .au domain names, and at the moment it charges customers a fee per domain name.
It will scrap this for .ae, and instead charge a one-off software licence fee, allowing as many domain names as possible to be registered.
"The exact way we've done .ae will suit this process," chief executive Adrian Kinderis said.
"That's why we're saying it's a good springboard for the new gTLD process.
"When we talk about the new gTLD space, we're different from our competition because we have the versatility to offer a set licence fee for our software.
"We're a small Australian company at the moment but we'd like to think we can take on the big guys out of the US in the process and hopefully come out the other side as a leader."
In the next couple of weeks Mr Kinderis expects to announce deals with several global blue chips and technology brands.
He predicts that AusRegistry's business could grow fivefold over the next couple of years.
It is understood the company's revenues are about $20 million.
He said it was looking to establish offices in Dubai and the US by the end of the year.
"We feel like we've cut our teeth on .au, and the last seven years of running it has been an apprenticeship.
"We've learnt a lot and that's why we feel we're well placed to take on gTLD and take on the big boys in the market."