.ly

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


introduced=1988
type=Country code top-level domain
status=Active
registry=LYNIC
sponsor=General Post and Telecomunications Company
intendeduse=Entities connected with Libya
actualuse=A random scattering of sites
restrictions=Third-level subdomains have varying restrictions
structure=Registrations have been made directly at the second level as well as at the third level beneath various second level labels
document= [http://www.nic.ly/regulations.htm Regulations]
disputepolicy=
website= [http://www.nic.ly/ nic.ly] |

:".ly is also the file name extension of the lilypond format."

.ly is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Libya.

It was apparently at one point open for registrations globally, directly at the second level, and there is a scattering of sites in it, some taking advantage of meanings of "ly" in various languages and place names as a suffix, as in [http://ita.ly/ ita.ly] . These are known as domain hacks. There are not very many sites actually in Libya that use this domainFact|date=November 2007.

Currently, a lydomains.com site that formerly offered .ly domains for sale is abandoned and cybersquatted; according to the official registry site (nic.ly) it is no longer authorized as a registrar. The registry site promises that there will be multiple authorized registrars in the future, but at present only one, telephone carrier [http://ltt.ly/ LTT.LY] , exists.

LTT does not offer any means of registering domains online, but LTT's site does list one lone reseller, [http://www.libyanspider.com Libyan Spider Network] , which does offer second and third-level .ly domains.

Second-level domains are sold at a substantially higher price: three times that of third-level .ly domain registrations.

According to the registration site, "any .LY domain names may be registered, except domains containing obscene and indecent names/phrases, including words of a sexual nature; furthermore domain names may not contain words/phrases or abbreviations insulting religion or politics, or be related to gambling and lottery industry or be contrary to Libyan law or Islamic morality."

The second-level domains which are officially open to third-level registrations are:

* .com.ly: Commercial services
* .net.ly: Internet-related services
* .gov.ly: Government and ministries
* .plc.ly: State-owned companies
* .edu.ly: Educational and training institutions
* .sch.ly: Schools
* .med.ly: Health-related services
* .org.ly: Non-profit organizations
* .id.ly: Individuals.

External links

* [http://www.iana.org/root-whois/ly.htm IANA .ly whois information]
* [http://www.libyanspider.com Libyan Spider Network]