Hostway News & Events

.Pro Offers Enhanced Security And Identity Verification

March 07, 2005 -- (Assorted Press) -- Hostway, a global provider of hosting services, today announced UK availability of the .Pro top level domain (TLD), a domain name extension aimed exclusively at those working in the medical, legal, accounting and engineering sectors. Only available to registered professionals who have been thoroughly vetted, It is hoped .Pro will enable individuals and businesses in any of these professions to create a unique and secure address on the web. In addition, .Pro is the first domain to be bundled with digital certificate which allows Registrants and their clients to benefit from a security-enhanced Internet, ideal for professionals who have heightened confidentiality obligations.
 
Licensed professionals can sign up for distinctive, profession-specific 3rd Level names such as johnsmith.med.pro, johnsmith.law.pro and ultimately obtain a 2nd Level name like johnsmith.pro if they already own two 3rd Level names. A range of 'defensive’ registration products are also available. These may be of interest to people wishing to protect a trademark or service mark for example, or to avoid running the risk of losing their desired .Pro name in future. The new extensions also mean that first-choice names which were previously unavailable as more common Top Level Domains such as .com and .net, may now be obtainable under .Pro. Applicants’ eligibility will however be strictly enforced.
 
Rob Lovell, CEO Hostway UK, commented: “.Pro offers qualified professionals both a distinctive and secure Internet presence for their websites, email traffic and confidential transactions. This new domain helps professionals organisations market their services, and makes it easier for their clients to identify validated professionals. It also allows both parties to communicate sensitive information with confidence. Communicating electronically with certain professions such as doctors and lawyers is a sensitive issue for many people – the .Pro domain ensures confidentiality at all times.”
 
.Pro registrations are available from authorised resellers such as Hostway, and cost in the region of £69.95 per year. All prospective registrants are required to provide a range of information specific to their profession to support of their application, including country of jurisdiction, relevant licensing authority, and applicable license number. Background checks are in turn conducted by RegistryPro, the sole administrator of all .Pro domains, with the aim being to safeguard the value of the .Pro proposition.
 
For more information, please visit www.hostway.co.uk/dotpro

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Spark Communications
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or

Philip Turnbull
Press Relations, Hostway UK
0207 538 8000
philip@hostway.co.uk