Keyword Registries Deployed in 244 Countries -- Domain Name Registrars Can Now Sell Keywords in All Countries and Languages.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

MELBOURNE, Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 12, 2001

RealNames Launches E-Commerce Keyword Registration Site,

Reduces Keyword Price to $50 a Keyword a Country a Year

RealNames Corporation, the extended naming services company, today announced the activation of Keyword Registries in 244 countries, mirroring the reach of the Domain Name System (DNS). As a result of the RealNames Keyword Registry/Registrar distribution model and the Keyword technology itself, these Keyword Registries can now offer Domain Name Registrars the opportunity to sell Keyword Web addresses in all languages and countries in tandem with domain names.

Also announced today is the launch of the RealNames Registrar e-commerce Keyword Registration site, which enables individuals and businesses to register Keywords online in all 244 countries. Keyword prices have been reduced from $100 to $50 a Keyword per country per year to be more in line with domain name pricing.

Keywords are an extension of DNS, and will be a part of the next generation Internet naming standard. Based on common names and without the wwws, slashes and dot "something" endings of URL Web addresses, Keywords are easy for people to remember and use. They are the only Web addressing system that can be registered and resolved across all languages and character sets, as well as across all types of Internet-enabled devices, including Web-enabled mobile phones and desktop computers.

Keywords are integrated into Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser address line and available for integration into the Openwave Mobile Access Gateway to provide easier access to greater amounts of content, helping to increase adoption of the Web and build customer satisfaction and usage.

Through the Web-based Keyword Registration Platform (see related announcement from RealNames dated February 14, 2001) any company currently selling domain names can plug Keywords directly into its Web sales process in a matter of days. Consumers buying Web addresses can be offered Keywords alongside domain names in a fully integrated process.

Adding Keywords to a Registrar's existing business offers them an immediate revenue opportunity at a time when the sales of .com Web addresses have been falling. In a survey of 50,000 .com buyers, RealNames discovered that more than 20 percent of purchasers would also buy a Keyword at the $50 price point. RealNames believes the market for Keywords could exceed $500 million within four years if Keyword sales are fully integrated into domain name registrations and renewals.

Through the RealNames Registry/Registrar model, companies may become licensed Keyword Registries on a country-by-country basis. Of the 244 countries, all but Korea, the People's Republic of China and South Africa are still available. (See announcements from RealNames today and on February 14, 2001.)

New RealNames Registrar e-Commerce Keyword Registration Site

The new RealNames Registrar e-commerce site, Keyword: RealNames, allows individuals and businesses alike to check availability, register, and purchase Keywords for up to 244 countries simultaneously. The e-commerce site will be used as a template for other Registrars in the RealNames global network.

Keywords, previously available for $100 a year, are now being sold on the RealNames Registrar Web site for $50 per year, per country. This price includes up to 50,000 usages of the Keyword, or put another way, the price includes 50,000 visits by users who type the customer's Keyword. The number of Keyword usages included in the purchase price ensures the vast majority of companies will pay only $50 per Keyword, per country, per year. Companies with global brands that incur additional resolutions over 50,000 have the opportunity to negotiate a bulk purchase for Keywords and resolutions by contacting their Registrar directly.

"Keywords simplify access to the Web, making it a more satisfying experience for the user," said Keith Teare, founder and CEO of RealNames Corporation. "Ease of use leads to simpler navigation of the Web, which means new users will come on board, and current users will be more loyal. This is what is driving the move to extend the domain name system with Keywords. Registrars who make Keywords available to their customers will see immediate benefit from this, as Keywords are available today in every country and in every language, including Chinese, Japanese and Korean. Our e-commerce site will enable us to supply the Keyword needs of customers from every corner of the globe."

For more information on the Keyword Registration Platform and to apply for a country Keyword Registry license, please e-mail [e-mail]. For more information on becoming a Registrar, please call 650/486-5528, or e-mail [e-mail].

About RealNames Corporation

RealNames Corporation is a global infrastructure provider of Keywords, a superior Web naming and navigation platform that improves on the existing Domain Name System. Keywords replace complicated URLs with simple names and brands and work in the consumer's native language, making the Internet easier to use. The RealNames Keyword system has been integrated into Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser and is available for integration into the Openwave(TM) Mobile Access Gateway, as well as in leading search and portal sites. Like domain names, RealNames Keywords are available through a Registry/Registrar worldwide channel. Founded in 1996, RealNames is based in Redwood City, Calif., with offices in New York City, London, Hamburg, Tokyo and Seoul. For more information, please use Keyword: RealNames to visit our Web site.

Note to Editors: RealNames, RealNames System, RealNames Service, Real Name Service and RNS are either service marks or registered service marks of RealNames Corporation.