The top-level domain (TLD) .BARCELONA is a geographical TLD (gTLD) that represents the city of Barcelona, in the autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain. It is a kind of a domain that is specifically designated for the online identity of Barcelona, its institutions, companies, and residents.
The idea behind geographical TLDs is to give an online identity to a geographical area that is commonly known by its residents and people worldwide. Such TLDs give a chance for businesses, institutions, and individuals to express their loyalty and affiliation with the specific geographical area. This also makes it easier for people to find information and services related to that area via a simple internet search.
The domain registration for .BARCELONA is managed by Fundació puntCAT, a non-profit foundation established in 2005 by a group of internet and Catalan language enthusiasts. The purpose of this foundation is to promote the use of the Catalan language and culture on the internet. This is the same organization that manages the .CAT TLD, which is intended to promote the Catalan language and culture.
The introduction of the .BARCELONA domain was part of ICANN (The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers)’s New gTLD Program. The program, launched in 2012, aimed to increase competition, innovation, and consumer choice in the domain name space. In the application to ICANN for .BARCELONA, the city’s government argued that the TLD would promote Barcelona’s digital presence and give its residents and institutions “a sense of community and belonging”.
Examples of usage would include local businesses like restaurants or shops that want to associate themselves firmly with Barcelona. For instance, a local restaurant could use www.localrestaurant.barcelona instead of www.localrestaurant.com. Similarly, the City Council could have a domain like www.citycouncil.barcelona.
The .BARCELONA TLD was delegated by ICANN and added to the DNS root zone on September 30th, 2014. The sunrise period, when only trademark owners could apply for domains, began on February 12th, 2015, and general availability for .BARCELONA began on March 21st, 2015.
The regulation and policies of the .BARCELONA domain demand that the domain name must have a genuine connection with the Barcelona community. This connection means a nexus that is ongoing and not established purely for domain name registration.
In conclusion, the .BARCELONA TLD is a valuable tool for the city’s institutions, businesses, and residents to establish their digital presence and affiliation with Barcelona, promoting a sense of community and the city itself.
Sources:
1. ICANN’s Applicant Guidebook (2012)
2. .BARCELONA Domain Registration Policies by Fundació puntCAT
3. The History of the .CAT TLD by Fundació puntCAT
4. ICANN’s Delegated Strings+AI
