The Global Name Registry Today Opens Up the Global Internet Space for Individuals' Names.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 14, 2004

Today, at 11:30AM EST, Global Name Registry, the global operator of the .NAME global Top-Level-Domain (gTLD) will make it easier and cheaper for individuals to get their personal names on the newly launched .name top-level-domain by opening up the second level. Highly valuable Internet addresses like petermorgan.name, abc.name and spike.name now become available.

Whereas individuals' names are long gone on .com, mostly taken by companies over the past 15 years, before most individuals understood the value of having their identity as an Internet address, the .NAME global Top-Level-Domain is the only global Internet addressing space dedicated to individuals' names and nicknames, and now becomes fully open on the second level for the first time.

"This is extremely important for individuals using the Internet because their names are long gone on .com", says Hakon Haugnes, President of Global Name Registry. "Most individuals in most countries worldwide, today find their names taken by a company. There must be a space for individuals on the Internet, and that is why we created .name. The opening of .name as an address space for individuals will provide a fantastic, dedicated new space where names again will be available."

Global Name Registry is working with Accredited Registrars worldwide, and several Registrars are rolling out the personalized addresses starting today. A full list of Registrars where .name products are available, can be found on http://www.name

Companies have protected their most valuable brands

Global Name Registry has as part of its agreement with the Internet Corporation of Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) allowed companies to protect their most valuable brands prior to the opening of .name. This affords companies protection against registrations that could be infringing on their brand. More than 1000 such registrations have been made until now, and are still coming in this week.

Powered by VeriSign

VeriSign, Inc., which also operates the .com and .net top level domains (TLD), is powering the technical operations of .name, and will provide the infrastructure for a stable launch. "VeriSign operates the largest top-level domain registries in the world, and this expertise will ensure the smooth and successful introduction of .name second level domains," said Ben Turner, Vice President of Naming Services at VeriSign, Inc. "VeriSign's scalable and redundant systems can easily accommodate GNR's introduction of their new second level domain product."

About GNR Limited (www.nic.name)

GNR Limited is the parent company of The Global Name Registry, Limited, which as the only non-US company in the world operates a generic top-level domain (gTLD) registry that offers individuals around the world the opportunity to purchase a web address and email address in the form of their name, ending with the suffix .name. GNR Limited's investors include Carlyle Europe Venture Partners, L.P., Northzone Ventures AS, and Four Seasons Venture AS.