Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
It appears the Internet is getting just a tad too crowded forsome. Due to rising conflict over the ownership of certain domainnames and increasing congestion in the .com designation, theInternational Ad Hoc Committee (IAHC), a group of Internet expertsformed to consider issues concerning the rapid growth of theInternet, has developed a plan to add seven new top-level domainsand expand the system that registers Internet names. At press time,these developments were slated to be implemented by as early asOctober.
Standard domains include .com for commercial sites, .gov forgovernment sites, .org for nonprofit group sites, .edu foreducational sites and .mil for military sites. The sevendesignations that will become available are .firm for businesses,.store for companies that sell online, .web for activities relatedto the Web, .arts for cultural and entertainment sites, .rec forrecreational sites, .info for informational sites, and .nom forsites run by individuals or families.
"This will eliminate congestion of [popular] names under.com and allow more descriptive names in the process," saysDonald Heath, chair of IAHC and CEO of the Internet Society.
The IAHC's plan will also create up to 28 independent namingregistrars worldwide. As a result of increased competition, lowerregistration costs may soon become a reality, Heath says.(Currently, Network Solutions Inc. in Herndon, Virginia, is theonly company authorized to manage the existing top-level names,under an agreement with the National Science Foundation thatexpires next year.)
Proponents say these changes may help clarify site types andavoid conflicts between two companies of different types wantingthe same online address. Moreover, the new plans call for morepolicies on handling these kinds of disputes through mediation andarbitration, potentially protecting small businesses from costlylegal battles.
Critics, on the other hand, contend users will simply snap upall the new domains once they become available, resulting in littlerelief from the existing shortage. They also maintain that the newdomain levels may cause confusion among Internet surfers, in effectmaking it difficult for people to find the sites they want.
While some experts recommend that companies register under allthe new domain levels once they're available, Heath stronglyadvises against it. "Companies should register for what theyneed but don't need to register [unnecessary names] fordefensive and pre-emptive reasons,' he says.
To stay apprised of new developments, visit the IAHC's Webpage at http://www.iahc.org
Drawing The Line
Watching your telephone expenses like a hawk so you don'tpay for unnecessary employee calls or carrier charges is always agood idea. But are you also looking for signs of toll fraud?Although large businesses with bigger phone systems are more atrisk, no business is immune, especially as high-tech thieves becomemore advanced in finding new ways to violate your business.
One way hackers commit toll fraud is by breaking into voice-mailsystems and using them without authorization. Although activemailboxes that are password protected are rarely at risk, unusedmailboxes are easier targets. Hackers get forwarded to the"phantom extension" from an operator and then enter adefault password programmed by the manufacturer to get a dial tone,which they can then use for personal calls.
Calling cards are another area for potential abuse. Known as"shoulder surfing," thieves observe numbers that arepunched in when you or your employees call from pay phones or usetelephones in unsecured areas.
There are several ways to protect your business. First, neverlet employees forward callers to an unknown company extension, andchange your personal identification numbers frequently. Also,analyze bills as soon as they arrive; excessive calls to certainareas, particularly the 809 area code in the Caribbean, is usuallya sign of a problem. Also, some companies, including MCI, soon planto release software that will allow small businesses to analyzetheir calling patterns to help spot potential abuses.
