The top-level domain (TLD) .SO is operated by SONIC (Somalia National Information Center), the body recognized and authorized by the Somalia Government Ministry of Post and Telecommunications, which is itself a member of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). This information can be verified directly from the SONIC’s official website.
.SO extension was first introduced in 1997, but it became inactive in 2001 due to internal problems in this country. This domain was reactivated in 2010 and it is currently open for registrations to everyone worldwide. Moniker Online Services, a global leader in domain acquisition and management, partnered with .SO Registry, the official worldwide registry for the .SO extension, to support domain registration services. This partnership was evidenced in a press release on Moniker’s official website dated March 3, 2011.
.SO domain names are often used by businesses, blogs, non-profits, government entities, and individuals who are linked in any way with Somalia. However, given the flexibility of domain name usage, many businesses and individuals globally have also embraced this domain extension to stand for “so” in the English language, thus creating distinctive web addresses.
For instance, Rubi.so is an example of a business using a .SO domain name. Rubi.so is an online cross-merchandising platform providing E-commerce solutions, and their choice of .SO domain name aligns with their enterprise as it can also be treated as an abbreviation for “solution”.
Another example is An.so, an independent game studio that has selected .SO as their domain to create a unique and catchy web address.
As per the policies of .SO Registry, there are specific eligibility requirements for acquiring a .SO domain name, such as no special country requirements or local presence needed before registering a .SO domain name. This is confirmed on 101domain, an ICANN accredited domain registrar, which also lists registration rules such as domain names must only contain alphanumeric characters and hyphens, and they cannot begin or end with a hyphen.
The pricing of a .SO domain varies between different registrars, and it may change based on the market demand and other factors. Pricing and other rules related to .SO domain registration can be found on different domain name registrar websites such as 101domain and Namecheap.
In summary, the .SO TLD is controlled by the Somalia National Information Center and is open to anyone for registration worldwide. It is used by various entities to either affiliate with Somalia or make creative use of the English word “so”.
Sources:
1. The official SONIC website (https://sonic.so)
2. Moniker’s press release on March 3, 2011 (https://blog.moniker.com)
3. 101domain website (https://www.101domain.com/so.htm)
4. Rubi.so website (https://rubi.so/)
5. An.so website (https://an.so/)
6. Namecheap website (https://www.namecheap.com/domains/registration/results/?domain=.so)
