.tl

Infobox Top level domain
name=.tl
background=#CCF


introduced=2005
type=Country code top-level domain
status=Active; in transition from former ccTLD .tp
registry=Timor-Leste NIC
sponsor=Timor-Leste Ministry of Transport, Communications and Public Works
intendeduse=Entities connected with East Timor
actualuse=Is starting to be used in East Timor, but former .tp domain still widespread; all .tp registrants automatically get same name in .tl although both do not always work identically. Most use outside East Timor.
restrictions=May not be used for any purpose that is obscene, indecent, or spam-related
structure=Registrations are accepted directly at second level, with some sites (especially governmental) at third level
document= [http://cocca.nic.tl/tl/tl_registration.pdf Registration agreement] ; [http://cocca.nic.tl/tl/tl_aup.pdf Acceptable use policy] ; [http://cocca.nic.tl/tl/tl_privacy.pdf Privacy policy]
disputepolicy= [http://arbiter.wipo.int/domains/cctld/bestpractices/bestpractices.html WIPO ccTLD Best Practices]
website= [http://www.nic.tl/ Timor-Leste NIC] |

.tl is the new country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for East Timor. It is administered through the Council of Country Code Administrators (CoCCA) and second-level registration is available through resellers worldwide with no local presence requirement.

The previous ccTLD for East Timor was .tp. This ccTLD was, according to IANA, assigned in 1997.

.tl complies with the ISO 3166-1 standard for the two-letter codes of the name of countries, and can be used as an abbreviation in either of the country's two official languages: "Timor Lorosa'e" in Tetum or "Timor Leste" in Portuguese.

For a long time, the .tl Whois information at IANA showed no sponsoring organization or registry, and the domain did not appear to work even though the country involved was claiming to be transitioning to it. However, as of September 30, 2005, there is contact information in the IANA Whois and a registry site at nic.tl.

According to the registry, all registrants in .tp have automatically been given the equivalent domains in .tl, and no further .tp registrations are accepted.

Registration is normally directly at second-level; one subdomain in use in the country itself is gov.tl, for government ministries. For example, the Government Portal is [http://www.timor-leste.gov.tl www.timor-leste.gov.tl]

The majority of current .tl registrations are directly at second-level by various international entities, often with no direct connection with Timor Leste.

A German company has used the [http://www.de.tl de.tl] sub-domain to offer free domain names, on a similar basis to [http://www.de.vu de.vu] , which uses Vanuatu's .vu domain. The [http://na.tl na.tl] and [http://in.tl in.tl] domains also offer subdomains (corresponding presumably to "national" and "international"), but these are rarely used.

External links

* [http://www.iana.org/root-whois/tl.htm IANA .tl whois information]
* [http://www.nic.tl/ Official registry site]