Changes

'''.co''' is the [[country code top-level domain name]] ([[ccTLD]]) for Colombia as per ISO-3166-1 code.  A government supported entity was created between [[Arcelandia S.A.]] and [[Neustar]],  [[.co Internet|.CO Internet SAS]], which manages .co as an [[ccTLD#Open ccTLD|open ccTLD]]. <ref>[http://www.iana.org/reports/2009/co-report-24nov2009.html Redelegation of the .CO domain representing Colombia to .CO Internet SAS]</ref> Domain name registration is open to all entities worldwide and it is marketed as a great alternative to the [[.com]] domain space.

'''.co''' is the [[country code top-level domain name]] ([[ccTLD]]) for Colombia as per ISO-3166-1 code.  A government supported entity was created between [[Arcelandia S.A.]] and [[Neustar]],  [[.co Internet|.CO Internet SAS]], which manages .co as an [[ccTLD#Open ccTLD|open ccTLD]]. <ref>[http://www.iana.org/reports/2009/co-report-24nov2009.html Redelegation of the .CO domain representing Colombia to .CO Internet SAS]</ref> Domain name registration is open to all entities worldwide and it is marketed as a great alternative to the [[.com]] domain space.

An October, 2012, interview with COO [[Nicolai Bezsonoff]] put the current registration of .co at 1.35 million. [[Sedo]] has reported that .co has the highest average secondary-market price, with the first being [[.com]]. <ref>[http://www.thedomains.com/2012/10/04/the-co-numbers-are-in-over-1-35-million-registered-co-domains-our-chat-with-the-coo/ The Co Numbers are In Over 1 35 million registered co domains, TheDomains.com]</ref>

An October, 2012, interview with COO [[Nicolai Bezsonoff]] put the current registration of .co at 1.35 million. [[Sedo]] has reported that .co has the highest average secondary-market price, with the first being [[.com]]. Renewal rates for domains registered during the launch period, and before general availability, are very high, well above 90%. The average rate of renewal for first and second year renewals of domains acquired during general availability is 62%.<ref>[http://www.thedomains.com/2012/10/04/the-co-numbers-are-in-over-1-35-million-registered-co-domains-our-chat-with-the-coo/ The Co Numbers are In Over 1 35 million registered co domains, TheDomains.com]</ref>

==History==

==History==

The .co ccTLD was originally delegated by [[IANA]] to the Universidad de los Andes on December 24, 1991. The University initiated the idea of opening the ccTLD to the global internet community for commercial purposes in 2001, however the plan was blocked by the Colombian Ministry of Communications with legal action. The objection was disputed by the University, which informed [[ICANN]] that it intends to continue to commercialize the domain name by appointing a subcontractor that will serve as the registry operator for the domain name.<ref>[http://www.iana.org/reports/2009/co-report-24nov2009.html Redelegation of the .CO domain representing Colombia to .CO Internet SAS]</ref> Mrs. Angela Montoya HolguÌn of the Ministry of Communications brought the issue to the [[ITU|International Telecommunications Union]] (ITU), asking if the .co ccTLD has a public nature and if the Colombian government has the authority to regulate it. On December 21, 2001, Radication Number 1376 was issued stating that .co is assigned as a Colombian public interest, its administrations is a point intrinsically related to telecommunications and the Colombian government, through the Ministry of Communications, is competent to regulate its functions without prejudice.<ref>[http://www.itu.int/itudoc/itu-t/workshop/cctld/cctld011.pdf  Radication number 1 376, Reference: Internet Domain name]</ref>

The .co ccTLD was originally delegated by [[IANA]] to the Universidad de los Andes on December 24, 1991. The University initiated the idea of opening the ccTLD to the global internet community for commercial purposes in 2001, however the plan was blocked by the Colombian Ministry of Communications with legal action. The objection was disputed by the University, which informed [[ICANN]] that it intends to continue to commercialize the domain name by appointing a subcontractor that will serve as the registry operator for the domain name.<ref>[http://www.iana.org/reports/2009/co-report-24nov2009.html Redelegation of the .CO domain representing Colombia to .CO Internet SAS]</ref> Mrs. Angela Montoya HolguÌn of the Ministry of Communications brought the issue to the [[ITU|International Telecommunications Union]] (ITU), asking if the .co ccTLD has a public nature and if the Colombian government has the authority to regulate it. On December 21, 2001, Radication Number 1376 was issued stating that .co is assigned as a Colombian public interest, its administrations is a point intrinsically related to telecommunications and the Colombian government, through the Ministry of Communications, is competent to regulate its functions without prejudice.<ref>[http://www.itu.int/itudoc/itu-t/workshop/cctld/cctld011.pdf  Radication number 1 376, Reference: Internet Domain name]</ref>