.mobi - Branding the Mobile Internet

Cybele Negris Co-Founder & COO .MOBI Branding the Mobile Internet

The Webnames.ca Story

The Domain Name Landscape

What is .MOBI and why is it important?

What does .MOBI solve?

How does .MOBI solve the problem?

What .MOBI doesn’t solve

How has the industry reacted to .MOBI? Critics; Uptake

Why .MOBI matters to you? Opportunities?

Q & A

Webnames.ca’s Story

7 years later, Webnames.ca offers a lot more than .ca….

.CA Registry - John Demco, free .ca

Grew to 30 people in 4 months (2000); $2.5 million 1st year

20th anniversary May 14, 2007 – mark your calendars

Domain Names to Internet Solutions

Our Website

Our Website on .MOBI

The Domain Name Landscape 120 million domains worldwide (2006: TLD up 32% ccTLD up 31%) Source: Zooknic.com

ccTLDs 43.7 million country code domains in 240 extensions globally Top 10 (see right) account for 64% .ca at 800,000 1 million by year end

What is .MOBI?

designed to guide mobile users to made-for-mobile Internet content

the first – and only – top level domain dedicated to delivering

the Internet to mobile devices.

Backed by Internet and mobile industry giants:

So why now?

Mobile phones poised to overtake PC’s as dominant Internet platform in some markets. (2006 Ipsos: The Face of the Web Study)

So why .MOBI? Mobile devices outnumber PCs by 4 to 1 (and growing)

So why .MOBI? More mobile devices than PCs and TVs combined worldwide

So why .MOBI?

Cellphone users who already access Internet content

75% Japan ( 69 million people)

14% UK;

10% US;

7.6% France;

3.2% Germany (M:Metrics Seattle cellphone market research)

Households with at least 1 mobile phone

Urban Asia 90%

Western Europe 80%

US 75%

Canada 60%

Growth of mobile surfing: over 35 age group not young males (usual early adopters for new technology) Mobile surfing becoming mainstream Demand for mobile compatible content

So why .MOBI? This is “Mobi Dick”…he’s waiting for a regular non-mobile compatible .com site to come up on his PDA…

So why .MOBI? All other domains optimized for PC (17 inch screen & broadband connections) if you try to access on a hand-held mobile device with a 2 inch screen:

Takes long time to load or not accessible at all (leads to $$$$ mobile bills)

Poorly formatted pages

Can’t login

Can’t navigate

Inappropriate or excessive content

Webnames.ca Webnames.mobi emulator.mtld.mobi

What does .MOBI solve

Content issues:

.MOBI site is not a shrunk down version of regular site

Whole page fits on 2 inch screen

Navigation works

Fast to load

How does .MOBI solve the problem 3. No frames 2. No need for “www.” eg. http:// www.yourdomain.mobi or http:// yourdomain.mobi Technical requirements for .MOBI sites: Registry tests all .mobi domains every 90 days

coded in XHTML Mobile Profile This standard works across all networks and providers

What .MOBI doesn’t solve

The Technology Issues:

Most cellphones still without QWERTY keyboard

Speed – Mobile phones are slow and come nowhere near ADSL and cable connections. HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access) not readily available to consumers outside of Asia and still slower

High network costs – few “all you can call/surf” packages available outside of Asia

The Critics “ .mobi isn’t necessary” – you can have a mobile site without .mobi, eg. http:// wap.oa.yahoo.com ; http://google.com/xhtml ; http://proxy.espn.go.com/wireless/espn Browser Detection can redirect to a .mobi site for those coming to .com site on a mobile device The Compromise Browser Detection Technology – use single URL (say .com) and depending on whether user is on PC or mobile device then serve the right page

What’s the uptake? .MOBI general registration launched Sept 2006 218,000 – Oct 31 2006 400,000 – Mar 5 2007 (estimated 25,000 operational or 6%) Vs .COM 100K in first 10 years (1985-95) (estimated 63% operational)

Should you register a .MOBI? If you don’t offer mobile compatible content, your competitor will Remember: Mobile surfing is mainstream

What does .MOBI have to do with me?

Buying ringtones most popular now

Current payment methods enabling m-commerce:

premium-rate calling numbers,

charge mobile phone user's bill or

deduct from calling credit

Future -Voice recognition, secure credit card payments

Emergence of M-commerce – mobile commerce Selling products/services through mobile

Most big companies already protected their trademarks and brands BMW, Google, Pepsi, you name it, they have it… Trademark and Brand Protection small cost of a 1-year registration (launched Feb 12/07) cheaper and easier than UDRP or litigation What does .MOBI have to do with me?

Domainers Entrepreneurs …. Buy (for $25) and resell domains for profit. Families.com $650K Portfolio of 400 .ca’s sold for $2.5 million T.R.A.F.F.I.C. Florida Oct/06. Flowers.mobi $200K Fun.mobi $100K Celebs.mobi others $100K Gossip.mobi Hot.mobi Laugh.mobi Party.mobi Stockquotes.mobi. Wow.mobi T.R.A.F.F.I.C. Vegas Mar /07. Airfare.mobi $11K Cam.mobi $10500 Casinos.mobi $52K Creditscore.mobi $6500 Directions.mobi $19K Eat.mobi $6700 Loancalculator.mobi $1500 Models.mobi $7500 Musicvideos.mobi $16500 Pics.mobi $23K Pizza.mobi $21K Realestate.mobi $85K singles.mobi $41K

Domainers

Mystery domainer in HK sold portfolio -$164 million

Venture capitalists getting in the game!

.MOBI relative new so lots of good names available

Domain Monetization…Buy and monetize on traffic

Buy a domain and park it

Advanced analytics match ads to traffic

Pack page with pay-per-click google/yahoo ads

Earn money while you sleep

Developers

Ready.mobi – Free page analysis and “ Mobi Ready score” tests the mobile-readiness of your site

Dev.mobi –

Free online developer training course

Developer Guide (requirements & best practice)

Developers showcase Weiwei.mobi

“ Oscars of the Internet” (New York Times)

excellence on the Internet

-Websites, interactive advertising, online film and video

- Webby Mobile Awards – Nov 28/06 launched

three categories:

Listings & Updates,

News & Entertainment

Mobile Marketplace, (m-commerce)

What is .MOBI and why is it important? First domain geared for viewing websites on mobile devices. Mobile surfing mainstream leads to demand for mobile compatible content; Fast to load; Fits 2 inch screen; navigation works. Saves time/money

What does .MOBI solve? Content issues; universal standard works across all mobile networks & providers

How does .MOBI solve the problem? Technical requirements (Xhtml MP, drop www, no frames) ensure .mobi sites work on mobile devices

What .MOBI doesn’t solve? QWERTY, hardware speed, network costs

What’s the uptake? A respectable 400K

What does it have to do with you? Opportunity to get in early. Register to reaching wider audience on the go, m-commerce, brand & TM protection, domaining- buy/sell & monetizing on traffic, opportunity & training for developers

Webnames.ca Booth 185 Drop your business card here for a free 1-year .MOBI Includes mobile compliant parking page (or other extension)