Domain names expansion to give .bbc and .porn

The suffixes to internet addresses, the best known of which is perhaps ".com", could soon include the likes of: ".music", ".google" and even ".porn", as part of an expansion of the domain names which can be used by websites.

The list of submissions for new endings was released yesterday with some of the internet's biggest names registering their interest.

The likes of Google, Microsoft and Amazon, which have requested various names, will see the changes as an ideal branding opportunity. British applicants to Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann) include the BBC, which has applied for ".bbc", and Land Rover, which as applied for ".landrover".

The full list of applications for new generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD) names was published by Icann, which is co-ordinating the expansion. The changes will mean that internet addresses will no longer have to end only with ".com", ".co.uk" or ".org".

Other suffixes include ".scot" by Dot Scot Registry, ".wales" and ".cymru", by domain registry firm Nominet.

The domain name ".sucks" has been requested by two companies: Top Level Spectrum Inc. and Vox Populi Registry Inc. The more risqué ".sex" also has two requests: one from Internet Marketing Solutions Limited and ICM Registry, which also asked for ".porn".

More than 900 of the applications were from North America, with more than 650 from Europe and just 17 from Africa. It cost £118,800 to submit an application but there was a support programme for needy applicants.

Speaking at a press conference in London, Rod Beckstrom, president and chief executive of Icann, said he expected some of the requests to be challenged. "Some names might be provocative, some might be controversial."