ICANN (The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) unanimously approved the creation of the new .tel Top Level Domain (TLD) and awarded the contract to UK-based Telnic Ltd.
The .tel domain is intended to enable people to reach a business from any Internet enabled device, whether computer or mobile, simply by typing the company"s name followed by .tel. The user could then connect directly to a company representative or navigate through a list of services that the company may offer.
Telnic will release free applications to allow .tel domains to be integrated with the commonly used address books found in computer systems and mobile phones.
In addition, individuals can use the .tel domain to publish and update their contact information. These individuals can decide, in real time, by what means their friends and colleagues will be able to reach them. This could include: VoIP, conventional telephony (fixed-line or wireless), e-mail, SMS, Skype, AIM and many more.