Generic top level domain names not necessarily more reputable

Country code top level domain names are not necessarily less reputable than generic top level domains.

That is according to internet registry Nominet, which said that domains such as .com, .net and .org are "different" rather than better.

Phil Kingsland, director of marketing and communications for Nominet, said that .com was currently the largest with around 50-60 million users.

However, he maintained that domains "tend to have different kinds of reputations and get used for different kinds of applications".

He added: "It does depend a lot on what you´re after.

"If you´re a local business in the UK .co.uk will be appropriate for you. If you´re a global body then you tend to find that global companies will try to find a .com."

He also remarked that global companies will also use a domain name to achieve local representation, as is the case with amazon.com and its associated websites.

According to VeriSign, new domain name registrations reached 10.7 million in the first quarter of 2007.

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