The New .IEEE Top Level Domain (TLD)
Most of us are familiar with web domain names that end in .com, or .edu, or .org (e.g. ieee.org). These 3 character abbreviations after the “dot” in a website address or URL are called Top Level Domains (TLDs). Recently, ICANN, the global authority that oversees web domain names launched a new category of TLDs called Brand TLDs, where the TLD is an organization’s brand name. Some examples of brand TLDs currently in use are .audi, .barclays, .bnpparibas, .cern, and a growing list of global brands.
The IEEE Board of Directors approved the acquisition of the .ieee brand TLD as a strategic initiative to control, protect, and enhance the IEEE brand in the digital space. IEEE’s ownership of the .ieee TLD is formalized by a Registry Operator Agreement with ICANN which designates IEEE as the sole operator of the .ieee domain registry. This means IEEE can now issue .ieee web domains for use by IEEE conferences, societies, geographic units, and other IEEE organizational units for their websites. In fact this website uses a .ieee domain name! (Look at the address box in the browser.)
To request and use a .ieee domain name for your website, you must comply with certain policies, rules, and standards which are necessary to maintain IEEE’s status as an ICANN-authorized domain registry operator. Please review these policies, rules, and standards before requesting a .ieee domain name for your website.