The domain name pro is a
generic top-level domain
Generic top-level domains (gTLDs) are one of the categories of top-level domains (TLDs) maintained by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority
The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) is a standards organization that oversees globa ...
in the
Domain Name System
The Domain Name System (DNS) is a hierarchical and distributed naming system for computers, services, and other resources in the Internet
The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that use ...
of the
Internet
The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a '' network of networks'' that consists of private, p ...
. Its name is derived from ''professional'', indicating its intended use by certified professionals.
History
In October 2000
Jason Drummond came up with the concept for a new top level domain name (TLD) and established RegistryPro to jointly bid with Register.com for .pro. In May 2002 RegistryPro signed its contract with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the organization that administers global domain names, under which it will operate the registry for the new top level domain (TLD) .pro.
The domain was originally launched in June 2004 with registrations restricted to four professions: accountants, engineers, lawyers and medical professionals in Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States.
In March 2005, the registrar EnCirca introduced its controversial ProForwarding service which enabled unverified people and businesses to register domains. Registrants then had thirty days to provide verified credentials prior to their domain being activated. Total registrations reached 6,899 by January 2008.
Following consultation with
ICANN
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN ) is an American multistakeholder group and nonprofit organization responsible for coordinating the maintenance and procedures of several databases related to the namespac ...
, the domain was relaunched in September 2008 with a wider remit to include government certified professionals in all countries.
Registrants are required to self-certify their professional status and agree to terms of use before registration, then subsequently provide detailed license information.
In 2012, RegistryPro was acquired by
Afilias Limited.
Registrations
The official domain website describes the eligibility criteria as follows:
*Applicant provides professional services
*Applicant is admitted to or licensed by a government certification body or jurisdictional licensing entity recognized by a governmental body that regularly verifies the accuracy of its data.
*Applicant is in good standing.
The domain registry allows registration of third-level domains in the following domains:
*Legal: law.pro, avocat.pro, bar.pro, jur.pro, recht.pro
*Accountancy: cpa.pro, aaa.pro, aca.pro, acct.pro
*Medical: med.pro
*Engineering: eng.pro
As of April 2011, the domains may be registered through 44 accredited
domain registrar
A domain name registrar is a company that manages the reservation of Internet
The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between ...
s. In January 2011, the number of registered domains surpassed 100,000.
As reported in April 2010, the majority of domains are registered in the United States (42%), followed by France (24%) and Russian Federation (5%).
A regulatory change made the .pro domain name unrestricted to all registrants starting 16 November 2015.
Sibername, an ICANN accredited registrar of the .PRO top-level domain, today announced that as of 16 November 2015, .pro domain names will become unrestricted
prweb.com; Ottawa, 11 November 2015. Also a
PDF
See also
*Top-level domain
A top-level domain (TLD) is one of the domains at the highest level in the hierarchical Domain Name System
The Domain Name System (DNS) is a hierarchical and distributed naming system for computers, services, and other resources in the ...
*Domain name
A domain name is a string that identifies a realm of administrative autonomy, authority or control within the Internet
The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protoc ...
References
External links
RegistryPro
Authorized .PRO registrar partners
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pro
Generic top-level domains
Computer-related introductions in 2004
sv:Toppdomän#Generiska toppdomäner