Top-level domain (TLD) is the last segment of a domain name, or the part that follows immediately after the “dot” symbol. TLDs are mainly classified into two categories: generic TLDs (for example, .com, .net, .edu) and country-specific TLDs (for example, .us, .uk, .jp). Currently, there are more than 1,000 TLDs available but there is no TLD that is specifically “DELTA.”
ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers), an internationally organized, non-profit corporation has the responsibility for Internet Protocol (IP) address space allocation, as well as the management of the Domain Name System (DNS).
According to ICANN’s extensive list, there’s no record of a .DELTA top-level domain. However, business entities can apply for a branded TLD. For instance, Google owns .google and Barclays owns .barclays. This is part of the new gTLDs (generic top-level domains) program approved by ICANN in 2011. This program allows for the introduction of new generic top-level domains (gTLDs), including brands and generic words (source: ICANN website). This means that hypothetically, the company Delta Airlines could apply for .delta, or Delta Faucet could do the same.
Submitting an application for a new TLD isn’t without substantial cost, however, and is thus typically only done by large organizations. The application fee for a new gTLD is $185,000, as stated by ICANN, and the process of assigning these can take time.
In terms of examples, branded TLDs can be an instrumental part of branding and digital presence. Barclays, for example, has shifted its online presence to www.home.barclays. This helps to unify branding and provides clear communication to customers that they are indeed interacting with the intended company, reducing the potential of fraud and phishing. Google, too, makes use of its .google domain with sites such as www.registry.google where Google describes its TLDs including .google, .how, and .soy.
So to conclude, as of now, there is no specific TLD .DELTA but it’s theoretically possible that such a TLD could exist in the future if a company named Delta lodges an application with ICANN and the application is approved. This course of action, while expensive, can offer significant branding and customer trust advantages.
Sources used:
- ICANN website(https://www.icann.org/)
- List of ICANN accredited Registrars(https://www.icann.org/registrar-reports/accreditation-qualified-list.html)
- “The new gTLDs” on https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/tlds-0d-2012-02-25-en
- “How much does a domain name cost?” on https://www.icann.org/news/blog/how-much-does-a-domain-name-really-cost
